Sam's Diary
by arreyellewebb
Summary: "How DARE this lady make me write in a diary! Like I'm going to sit in my pink princess bedroom and write all about my Feeeeelings and every stupid thought I have! Only nerds do that! Like Freddnub." Sam is forced to write in a journal by her therapist. However when her diary is stolen, the culprit learns Sam's biggest secret. What will she do to keep it from getting out?
1. Prologue

**[Okay you all, yes, I have come up with a new story! Don't worry I'm writing the prologues for iNeed You Now More Than Ever and I'm still working on I'm Not The One. Anyway, This is kind of like a fun, side story for me to work on. I'm going to try to update once a week but… I make no promises. Anyway, enjoy! Make a great day, - Ariel]**

**Prologue**

_Okay, let's get one thing straight right now: This is __**not**__ a diary. This is just a stupid book my 'therapist' is making me right in. She said some crap like 'maybe you won't be so angry' and 'it's good to let your feelings and emotions out somehow' and all kinds of crap like this. _

_I mean, I don't even know __**why**__ I need a therapist. Just cuz I broke this kids leg cuz he pissed me off, doesn't mean I have 'anger issues'. What's up with therapists anyway? They just make you sit in a room that smells like Cheez-It's and lay down in couch chairs and stare up at ugly ceilings while you 'talk about your feelings'. _

_Therapists are no good. Look at the word! The-ra-pist. It's like, The-rapist. OHMYGOSH! See that! Therapists are just rapists trying to learn all of your secrets so they can get you alone, and rape you, _

_Sam Puckett, 1. The rest of the idiotic world, 0._

_Everyone says that soon enough I'll 'open up' to my the-rapist. But I doubt it. Her name is Elena Findergale. Heh, Findergale. The first time I met her I almost died laughing when she introduced herself. _

_She wears those lady suit things and she always smells like watermelon. I like melon as much as the next girl, but having to sit in a room with it all day and not being able to eat any, can drive a girl crazy. _

_EW, not that I would ever touch her. Sometimes, she tries to shake my hand or pat my shoulder and other stuff but I give her a death glare and she backs off. _

_Anyway, I smell ham. Which means Carly's probably done cookin Mama's food. My mouth is watering already. _

_So, see ya. _

_-Sam_


	2. Chapter 1

"So Sam, what do you want to talk about today?" Ms. Findergale asked Sam. Sam put her hands behind her head as she shuffled on the slightly uncomfortable couch chair.

"Well, Elena, nothing. I don't wanna be here. And I don't wanna talk."

"You don't want to talk today?"

"Nope" She said, popping the 'P'.

"Fine then. You don't have to talk to me until you're ready."

"Fine with me." And then she mumbled underneath her breath, "Hold your breath and see when that happens,"

"What was that, Sam?"

"Nothing…." She mumbled and then drifted off into a nice, hour long nap until the end of her session.

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_Dear Not-A-Diary_

_Okay, so I've decided that since you __**are not a diary**__, I'm not going to be like those lame girls in movies who get all dramatic and are all like 'Dear Diary! Dear Diary! Ohmigosh'. No. I'm not going to do that. Sam Puckett does not roll that way. _

_So I'm going to say something cool. Like, Dear Ham or Beloved Bacon. Ya know? Something __cool __like that. _

_Anyway, today, I beat a nerd with a water bottle. But it wasn't my fault, he threw it at me! Sort of. _

_I got Frednub detention. I didn't want to go alone today so I threw his lunch at the fire alarm and Mr. Howard found it and gave him detention. _

_Having him there actually made detention kind of fun. I mean, we do hang out without Carly sometimes and having him around isn't that bad. Not that I would ever admit that. But today in detention we got detention again tomorrow for 'disrupting the class more than several times'. It wasn't our fault though. All we were doing was laughing, sort of. And throwing stuff…_

_It was actually pretty fun, even though he's a nerd... he's a good friend and it's fun to hang out with him. Sometimes. _

_Okay, now I'm gonna pretend I never said that, he **is** a nub and he should not have so many compliments in one diary entry. _

_I'm goin to Carly's... so bye. _

_-SamLOVESham_

_**Okaydokay, so to anyone who's reading this story, you've probably noticed that the chapters are a lot shorter than my usual chapters are, that's because I haven't gotten to a point where anything is happening, right now I'm just focusing on some of her diary entries. I might do one or two more chapters like this, then it will skip ahead a few months to when she loses the diary. THEN, things should get more interesting. **_

_**Thank you for reading,**_

_**Ariel. **_


	3. Chapter 2

_O Beloved Bacon,_

_Got detention today. Then again, what's new about that? _

_Why did I get detention today?_

_None of your freakin business. _

_Okay well... I threw a book at Ms. Briggs. But I mean, she was being annoying! She kept waking me up and yelling and interrupting my nap. So I told her to screw off, and then I threw my book at her. _

_She's lucky I missed. _

_Fredericka was in that class with me and he was laughing until I left. Nub. _

_It's his fault I was sleeping. I stayed at Carly's last night and he stayed over there really late because his mom was at work and he wouldn't _shut up_ about some stupid tech stuff. I kept telling him to shut up and I beat him repeatedly with random items around the room, but eventually Carly got out of the shower and sat between us. And he kept talking! _

_When he finally left, I fell asleep and had dreams of computers and stuff. It was disgusting! So that's why when I got to school today I duck taped him to the girls bathroom door. _

_Someone managed to find him and get him down in time for him to come to fourth period with Ms. Briggs. He had been glaring at me the whole time but I just went to sleep. _

_Heh. Serves him right. _

_Since I slept in class, I had pleasant dreams of ham and bacon and fried chicken and many other delicious meats. _

_It was amazing. Until Briggs got involved and messed up the whole thing. _

_Anyway, I just got home from detention and I just stopped at home to grab a shirt I borrowed from Carl that she needs for some date she has tomorrow after school. _

_So... since I have better things to do, get a life and stop reading about mine. _

_-Hammy Sammy_

_PS- 'Diary' if you ever come to life and call me 'Sammy' I will ship you to China and have you butchered into a million pieces and served with white rice. _

Sam lifted her mattress and felt for the small hole in it, and then slipped the diary in the hole.

She grabbed the backpack and her phone from her bed and made her way down the hall to the front door. Her mom wasn't home from work yet so she didn't have to deal with her and her new bathing suit. ***shudders*.**

On the bus, she busied herself by eating the turkey leg she had stuffed in her bag yesterday at Carly's house. People looked at her, but when she caught them they quickly looked away.

Once she reached her stop and walked the rest of the way to Bushwell Plaza, she threw the bare bone in the grass and walked into the lobby.

"I JUST MOPPED THE FLOOR!" Lewbert shouted from his desk.

"WELL MOP IT AGAIN!" Sam shouted, getting on the elevator and watching with a smirk as angrilly pulled a mop out to the middle of the floor and glared at her.

"Carles!" She shouted, getting off of the elevator and plopping down on the couch. She heard footsteps and Carly walked down the stairs, holding a skirt and a pair of jeans.

"SAM! Did you bring the shirt?" Carly asked frantically, rushing over to the couch.

"Yeah yeah, calm your face." Sam slowly pulled the shirt out of her bag and threw it at Carly.

Carly sniffed the shirt, "Sam, why does this shirt smell like-" ***sniff, sniff*, "**Pickles?"

Sam shrugged and flipped the TV on, "I got hungry,"

Carly shook her head at her best friend's oddness and then walked around and stood in front of the TV.

"Yo yo! What are you doing!" Sam asked, trying to look around Carly at the TV.

"Jason and I are going straight to the Groovy Smoothie after school tomorrow so I have to pick my outfit now and wear it to school." She held the green, pickle-smelling shirt in front of her torso and held the black skirt (with the skinny jeans behind them) underneath it. "So which one? Skirt, or skinny jeans?" She flipped the skirt around so Sam could see the jeans.

"Eh," Sam looked disinterested. "Go with the skirt, it's more you." She suggested, waiting for Carly to move from in front of the TV.

Carly threw the pants on the couch and held the shirt and the skirt up in front of her, gazing at them with a critical look on her face.

"I guess you're right..."

"I am. Now move it Martha."

"Did you just call me Martha?" Carly asked, sitting on the couch next to Sam.

"Ehh..." Sam waved her hand and focused back on the TV.

After a half hour or so of watching TV, the front door opened and Freddie walked in.

"Hey Carly, Hey Demon." He said, walking in in and plopping into the chair closest to the door.

"Hey Freddie," Carly greeted, turning and smiling at him.

"Nub," Sam said, her own form of greeting, without removing her eyes from the fight she had turned to.

"So watcha doin?" He asked, looking at the girls sitting on the couch.

Sam's head snapped in his direction for a moment, "Watching the fight now shut up." She turned her attention back to the TV. Freddie did as he was told, sharing a look with Carly, and turned his attention to the TV.

When a commercial rolled around, Carly jumped up and walked into the kitchen.

"You cookin'?" Sam asked eagerly, jumping up and following. Freddie slowly got up and followed. Sitting down in the stool next to the one Sam had jumped on.

Carly giggled, "No, Sam. I'm just getting a Peppy Cola." She pulled three colas out and raised her eyebrows at Freddie and Sam. They nodded their heads simultaneously and Carly slid them across the counter to them and then put her knees on the counter and looked at her two friends.

"So, guess what."

"What?"

"Como?"

"Frednesto, your speaking in Spanish is not as cool as you've convinced your self it is." Sam rolled her eyes at him.

"Aaww Sam, don't be jealous because I can speak Spanish and you can't." Freddie teased, smirking at her.

"Who says I can't speak Spanish?"

"Can you?"

"Maybe. Not that I would want to. You've spoiled the whole language already." She stuck her tongue out.

"Oh yeah, Sam, real mature."

She glared at him and then looked at her Peppy Cola deviously. Before he could catch on, she lifted her drink and poured it on top of his head. The brown liquid spread all over his head and dripped down his face. Carly's eyes popped out as she stared at, the now wet, Freddie.

"SAM!"

Sam smirked and then stood up and walked to the fridge, pulling out another peppy cola and then walking into the living room right as the commercial ended.

Carly shook her head and went to get paper towels. Sam could feel Freddie glaring at her and she smiled wider, relaxing into the couch as she watched her fight.

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_PS.S- Did I mention Fredwierd is a nub? Yeah, he's the Queen of __Nubland. _


	4. Chapter 3

"So what are you two gonna do today without me?" Carly asked as the iCarly trio sat at their usual lunch table.

"Well, While you're getting all Kissie Kissie with Jas-ey Was-ey," Sam started, using her baby voice, "Frednub here is going to take me to the Seattle Steakhouse." She grinned smugly and glanced at Freddie, sitting across from her and Carly.

"What! Sam I never agreed to that!" Freddie exclaimed, swallowing his yogurt and giving Sam a disapproving look.

Sam smirked, "Well you do now. Mama needs her steak." She patted her stomach.

"I am not buying you a steak."

"You're right."

Freddie grinned triumphantly.

"You're buying me _multiple_ steaks." Sam smirked as his grin fell.

"_Sam!_" Freddie whined, looking to Carly for help.

"Why don't you two make a deal?" Carly suggested, watching Sam take Freddie's chocolate chip cookie and then look at her suspiciously.

"What kind of deal?" Sam spoke slowly, narrowing her eyes.

"Ummm... Freddie, you take Sam to the Steakhouse, and she does something for you... What would you like?" Carly asked, both she and Sam looked at Freddie as he thought.

A few minutes passed and Sam began to get impatient. "Hurry up, Loser!"

"Okay, Okay," He held his hands up and looked at Sam with a very devious looking expression. "Remember that time you had to pay me every time you insulted me?" He asked. Sam nodded and narrowed her eyes again.

"And...?" She prompted.

"No insulting me all day. No teasing or causing me physical harm until tomorrow," He said, "Instead, when you want to insult me, you compliment me."

"WHAT!" Sam exclaimed, her eyes widening as she gaped at him.

"Deal." Carly answered for her, smiling. Sam sprung back to reality and glared at the Tech-Boy.

"You better be prepared to buy me a hell of a lot of steak. I'm talking bucket loads. And to-go boxes. _Lots_ of to-go boxes." She hissed and both Carly and Freddie gulped.

_!_

The bell sounded and everyone threw their trays away and headed to class.

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"Cm'on Frederbell, Mama's hungry." Sam knocked on the Benson's apartment door _again. _The door opened and Ms. Benson stood on the other side, glaring at Sam.

"Young lady you can wait a few more minutes. Fredward is coming." And then she closed the door. Sam huffed and frowned at the door, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall next to the Shay door.

She muttered words like 'crazy' and 'mommy's boy'. Grumbling away as she waited for the iCarly tech producer. She grew more and more agitated as seconds passed by.

Finally, the door opened and a very calm looking Freddie, sauntered out at a leisurely pace.

"Hey," He said coolly, putting his hands in his pocket and looking at the very angry Puckett across from him.

"What the chizz! Dude are you _trying _to make me starve?" She exclaimed, glaring at him, "Taking your sweet time," she muttered.

"Be careful Freddie Bear! And don't let that misfit talk you into doing anything unsafe or illegal!" They both heard Ms. Benson shout from the other side of the door.

Before Sam could say anything, Freddie nodded his head in the direction of the stairs and wordlessly made his way down to the lobby with Sam walking behind him.

She was confused by his demeanor and longed to be able to insult her way into finding out why he was acting the way he was, but she bit her tongue, not giving him the satisfaction of knowing she can't go ten minutes without making fun of him.

"NO ODDLY QUIET CHILDREN IN MY LOBBY_!" _Lewbert yelled. Sam gave him a look and his eyes widened and he ducked behind his desk.

When they made it outside, Freddie stopped so abruptly Sam almost walked into him.

"Sorry about that," He said and she shook her head.

"What's your deal?" She asked, crossing her arms and staring at him, showing she had no intention of going anywhere until he explained.

"My mom. She thought this was a date-" He was cut off by Sam saying 'EW!'. He gave her a look and she quieted down.

"Anyway, and I was trying to talk her into giving me more money. She knows how _you_ are so I told her we were going to a steakhouse and I needed a lot more money than I have." Sam smirked at that and he continued. "Anyway, she was trying to talk me into taking a tick bath, a lice bath, a disinfectant bath, and a number of other baths before I left. I refused. We argued. That's why it took so long."

"Wow. Am I _really_ that bad? And I don't have lice. My hair is so clean you can smell my shampoo." She said, sort of insulted that his mother thought she was disgusting and dirty.

"I know that, And I think she does too. She's just being... well, _her_."

"Whatever," Sam said and she started walking in the direction of the steakhouse.

"Sam..."

"I don't care."

"Please listen..."

"Shut up."

"Look, I know you're not dirty and that you're healthy and all. You know my mom..."

Sam turned around and stared at him for a moment before saying in a disinterested voice, "Can we just go now?"

He nodded, "I'm just sorry okay?"

Her face softened a but and she rolled her eyes, "Stop being such a-"

"No insults remember?"

She gritted her teeth, "Oh dear Fredward, it is absolutely okay, I forgive you for your _stupid_ mistake." She said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"'That a girl," He patted her shoulder while they continued to walk.

"This is going to be a _long _day."

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"I actually had a nice time. I didn't want to throw up or kill somebody." Sam said while she and Freddie walked down her street.

He chuckled, "Glad I didn't make you want to do either of those things."

"Yeah yeah."

"Well, I'm not completely bankrupt so I'll call it a success."

"You got lucky this time, Benson."

"Of course. Anything for you, Princess Puckett." He teased.

"Well this is it. I'll see ya tomorrow, Fredwina."

Freddie hesitated for a moment, looking a little nervous. After a moment, he slowly leaned over and kissed Sam on the cheek. She froze, her eyes wide.

"See ya later, Sam." And then he walked down the street and to the bus stop, leaving Sam standing frozen in front of her house.

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_OhMySteak,_

_He kissed me. Freddie Benson kissed me. On the cheek, yeah, but his lips still came in contact with my skin. _

_Part of me, wants to kill him. A very large part of me actually. _

_The other part of me wants to..._

_Well, let's just say it's something very girly and cliché that I would never put into words. _

_Oh my Bacon._

_Oh my Ham. _

_Oh my Hot Dog. _

_Why can't I stop thinking about it?_

_I can still feel his nerd germs on my cheek. _

_But I can't bring myself to wash it. _

_Ugh. I am so messed up._

_All I know is that I cannot face him tomorrow. But I would look like too much of a pansy if I avoid him... _

_It's not like he's going to say anything about it though, he's too much of a girl. _

_I'll just try not to think about it tomorrow. But the thing is, his kiss today, reminded me of our 'first kiss' on the fire escape. That's the reason I'm freaking out. Because when his lips made connection with my cheek, a wave of emotions like attacked me and... it was just so weird, so different. _

_But... (If you ever come to life... well you know what I'll do.) I didn't _hate_ it..._

_Okay little book thing. I'm kind of confused and stressed, so I'm going to go eat the to-go steak I brought from the steakhouse. _

_See ya, Toots._

_Sam_


	5. Chapter 4

_**Okay, I will say this right now, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE SONGS MENTIONED. I find them both to be very nice songs that are even on my ipod. They are only mentioned for comical purposes. **_

_**Disclaimer: I do not own iCarly or any songs mentioned. **_

_**Four Months Later**_

_HeyThereDelilah,_

_ I hate that song so much. I don't even know why I mentioned it. I mean, it's a nice song... the first time you hear it. But by the eighteenth time it plays on the radio, I'm ready to kill someone. That's why I don't listen to the radio often- they take good songs, make them all upbeat and techno, and then play them over and over again until you want to cut your ear of like that painter dude. _

_ It's like that freaking Grenade song! I mean, wtf? Dude, obviously that girl does not love you and never will, but you're too stupid to realize that you're too much of a nub for her to love. And you know what? I'm gonna laugh my ass off when that 'grenade' you catch for her, kills you. You deserve it- dumbass. _

_ Sorry about that, got a little... psycho there. That song just makes me so mad. "Shoulda known you were trouble from the first kiss had your eyes wide open, why were they open?" Dude, do you realize that you basically just said that **you** had **your** eyes wide open watching her have her eyes wide open! What were you two doing, having a staring contest while you were making out? "I'd catch a grenade for you. Throw my hand on a blade for you. I'd jump in front of a train for you. You know I'd do anything for you." Now if you would do all of that crap for a woman that will obviously never love you, I wonder what the hell you'd do for a woman with a slight chance of actually returning your feelings. _

_ Wow, now that I think about it, that song reminds me of Freddork and his obsession with Carly. Hahahahaha that should be his theme song. I just had a mental picture of him walking up to Carly and singing it to her. Hahahaha, I'm about to fall over I'm laughing so hard. Hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha. Oh crap, I know I promised you yesterday that I would stop talking about the nub so much, but I just couldn't help it. This was clearly for musicological purposes only. Yeah, I just made that word up, gotta prob?_

_ Anyway, I didn't write today just to go off about music that makes me angry. I have to show Ted that I've been writing. I really hope he doesn't ask to read any of it. I think I might **die **if someone read all of this. No, I probably won't die, I'd probably just Go through all this pain, take a bullet straight to my brain... Crap, now that songs gonna be stuck in my head all freaking day. I can't help it though, it may be annoying, but it's catchy. It's one of those songs that you randomly start singing and then you realize you're singing it and get all annoyed, but you don't stop. You like, lock yourself in a room and started screaming it. _

_ Whoa, grrrr. I keep getting off subject. But Ted will probably just make sure that I got to a certain point or something. Boring. Okay, so now that I've said what I need to say, I'm going to head to school now. So... bye. _

_I would not catch a grenade for you,_

_SamLovesHam_

"Sam Puckett to the principal's office please, Sam Puckett to the principal's office." A voice crackled out through the crappy intercom loudspeaker system during Sam's fifth period class. She looked up from the paper wad she was about to throw at Gibby and rolled her eyes at the sound of her name. The room filled with 'Ooooo's' and people whispered predictions of what she had done this time.

"Puh-lease people, you should be used to this," Sam shook her head at them as she strolled out of the room, snatching the pass the teacher held out for her on the way.

She sauntered down the hall to the principal's office, taking her time. She wondered what she might have been busted for this time. Maybe it was because of that stinky, raw fish she had stuck in Gibby's locker the other day, or maybe it was because of the paint she had used during art class to paint Freddie's back...

To think of it, she'd done a lot of things this week, but she was positive she hadn't been caught doing any of them. Teachers had once tried to monitor her and control her, but they had failed and given up a long time ago. Now they don't seem to care anymore, if they catch her they catch her. If not, they don't really care.

She figured it probably had something to do with the journal, that's why she brought her backpack with her. She felt uneasy carrying it around, but she ignored the feeling.

When Sam finally reached the office, she glared at the secretary/receptionist woman who always smiled and greeted everyone but her. The woman's eyes widened like they always did, Sam scoffed and walked right past her into the principal's office.

"Yo, Ted, what's up?" She asked the principal, who was sitting at his desk looking at some papers. He looked up when he entered and rolled his eyes. She sat down In the chair on the other side of his desk.

"Hello Sam. How have you been?"

Sam shrugged and sat back, "Hammy. Is this about the journal?"

"Partly. Did you bring it?"

"Yes I did." She pulled the small book out of her bag and held it up.

"Have you been writing in it? It's been a few months. She says you should at least have half of the book filled out."

Sam opened the book up halfway and they were both shocked to see that Sam, _Sam Puckett_, had actually written in a journal, almost every day.

"Whoa." She said to herself. She looked up to see that Principal Franklin wore an expression of a cross between, shocked, amused, and proud.

"I'm so proud of you, Sam. I know you probably don't care or you don't see this as a big deal, but it is. You put your mind to something, and you got it down. If you continue on at this pace then you'll only have to meet up with the therapist maybe once a month. I don't think you realize how amazing this is." Principal Franklin said, smiling at her.

"Thanks, Ted. I don't know about this 'big deal' stuff, but it is pretty amazing isn't it? Before, I wouldn't even pick up a pencil without wanting to stab someone."

"Yeah, we know," He winked and she laughed.

"Well, I'll let you get back to class." He said, standing up, "I've got to go meet a new student anyway. I 'm proud of you," He held his hand out for her to shake, she stood up and walked around and hugged him.

"That was a one time thing, Ted. You know I don't get all emotional and chizz." She smiled at him and he returned it as he led her out of the office.

She headed back to her locker, wanting to drop her bag off before class. She looked around, seeing no one, and pulled her journal out, wanting to jot one thing down before she put it away.

_PS- I'm not used to this whole 'making people proud' thing, but maybe it's not so bad._

She looked around again and slipped the journal back in her bag, and shut her locker.

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Later that night, she left Carly's and went home. Her mom wanted her there to judge her new boyfriend. The second one this month.

She went into her house, fifteen minutes before Brad- she bet her mother only wants him so she can call him her little 'Brad Pitt'- and went upstairs to put her diary up. She emptied the contents of her bag, everything fell out on her bed.

She sifted through the junk, but couldn't find the diary. She began to panic a little bit. She threw everything onto the floor but still couldn't find it, she looked through the bag again, looking through every compartment but coming up with nothing.

She sat down on her bed and furrowed her eyebrows. "Crap."


	6. Chapter 5

It's been a week since the diary has been missing and I haven't found it anywhere. I've looked _everywhere_. I mean seriously, in this past week I've done more physical activity than I do in year.

See, this isn't just any diary, I said some things that I would rather the whole school didn't know. I actually talked about things that happened and situation in y point of view. And I said some really nubby things that I wish I could take back!

Speaking of nubs, I said some things about Freddork! And some of them were actually good! I have a rep to protect and if that diary gets passed around... it won't be ruined but it will be bruised. I'd have to bully _a lot_ of nerds to get it back.

It was the eighth day when it popped up. Carly and I were on our way to class when she stopped to check the bulletin board by the office for an update of some sort. I wasn't really listening.

Last night, Freddly said something that really got me thinking.

_Carly had gotten annoyed with our arguing and had gone upstairs to take a shower. Freddo and I didn't even notice she was gone until I punched him and saw that Carly hadn't chastised me for it. _

"_Where's Carly?" I asked him, sitting back and momentarily forgetting about the argument. As much as these little fights excite me, sometimes I just need a break. _

"_I don't know. She left."_

"_Well naw dip, sherlock. You don't sound like you're worried."_

"_Why would I be worried?"_

"_I thought you only came over here to hang out with Carly?"_

_He shook his head and gave me this funny look that morphed into a smirk, "I don't come here **just** to hang out with Carly, I come here to hang out with you too. As much as we both hate to admit it, we _**are** _friends."_

_I was quiet for a moment, thinking that over. He thinks we're friends. He actually cares about me.. _

_I smirked at him, "Me? Friends with a nub like you? Ha."_

"_It's true. Admit it." _

"_Make me," I teased, poking him in the chest. _

_He smirked back at me, "I will," He started moving forward and pushed me back onto the arm of the couch. He started tickling and poking at my sides and I started laughing and swatting at him. How did he know that was my tickle spot?_

_I punched him in the shoulder and kneed him in the stomach. His face crinkled in pain and he sat back, glaring at me. _

"_Fine, I admit it. You're my friendboy."_

"_Friendboy?"_

"_Yes, friendboy. Gotta a problem?"_

_He grinned, "No, but it does sound an awful lot like boyfr-" I punched him in the gut and he shut up. _

"Sam!"

"Nub!" I responded, still lost in the memory.

"What? Did you just call me a nub?" I recognized Carly's voice and shook my head, coming back to reality.

"What? Oh, um sorry Carles. I thought I heard the nub."

"Oh Freddie! Been thinking about him much, huh?" She smiled that sneaky, girly smile she has that tells me she's up to no good.

"Ew. No. I have to _see_ him enough , why would I add his face time and think about him?"

"Anyway, as I was saying, while you were so rudely off in your own world. Look at this note card someone stuck to the board." Carly pointed at a piece of white, lined paper stuck up to the board. I rolled my eyes, but stepped closer to the board.

I recognized my own sloppy handwriting. _Oh my Ham. This is __**not **__happening. _I pulled the small scrap of paper off of the board and looked at what was written on it.

_**It was actually pretty fun, even though he's a nerd... he's a good friend and it's fun to hang out with him. Sometimes. **_

No. No. NO. This can _not_ happen to me! Someone found my journal... book... thing! No no no! I was _so_ careful... Ugh. I wonder what else they did with it. Oh my gosh, what if they put little snippets _all over the school_! What if they're trying to publicly humiliate me?

Who would do something like that? It is **me? **Does this person have a death wish?

Who is it?

Who did it?

Do I know them? I bet I do...

That little... I can't even think of a word insulting enough to call the jerk.

Who steals diaries? I've heard of purse snatchers, robbers, kidnappers, I've even heard of dog snatchers, but I have never heard of a diary- ahem journal- snatcher.

'Oh haha I'm gonna steal your diary! Hahahaha! I'm so cool!' No. It doesn't happen. This officially proves that the people in my school are complete weirdos. Next thing you know, someone will be spray painting the pool. Frankly, the misfits here are complete idiots. Last week, this kid cheated on a test by taping the answers to another kid's back! I was watching him the whole time and it was freaking hilarious.

Amateurs.

"Sam!" Carly waved her hand in front of my face and I quickly stuck the paper in my pocket and looked up at her with wide eyes.

"Huh?"

"Are you okay? You keep zoning out." She asked in her concerned, motherly voice.

"Yeah, I'm fine,"

"Were you daydreaming about Freddie again?" She teased, lightly tugging on a piece of my hair.

"Har har." I say flatly, shrugging her off. We turn around and head off to class. Maybe a good nap will take the stress of from the stupid journal.

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The stress didn't go away. And things definitely did not get better.

I figured that things wouldn't get too bad. I figured the person would put a few things up and then get bored and throw the 'book' away.

I was so wrong I should kick myself.

After sixth period, when I was getting ready for seventh and final period, I went to my locker.

And that's when I found it.

Someone had skillfully – because I had enough alarms and buzzers and security on my locker to make a jail proud- slipped a note into the cracks and it was resting on top of my algebra book when I opened my locker.

Normally, I wouldn't have even noticed it was there, but the note was green. I'm talking bright, neon, blind your eyes, green. It was tacky.

I had pulled the note out and slipped it into my pocket before anyone could ask me who it was from or what it was about.

I chatted with Carly and Freddo by our lockers until the warning bell rang and Fredboy and I had to get to seventh period study hall. We headed to the library and I took a seat in the way back as far away from the librarian as possible. Freddly took a seat across from me and pulled one of his school books out and immediately got to work. I smirked at his nubbyness and then pulled my binder into my lap and unfolded the note out on top of it. The note was typed and the letters were small.

_Samantha, _

_What a lovely diary you have. Really, I'm impressed someone with your IQ level knows such... educated words. I figured you still hadn't made It past second grade vocabulary. _

_Your opinions are... interesting. Very unique and very you. _

_You really should be careful where you leave your important possessions. It's very irresponsible of you to go and loose something so personal. Personal possessions should be kept in personal places. Not a public high school. _

_So I've decided we're going to play a game. You prove to me that you deserve the diary, and I **might** give it back to you. _

_And nice to know that you and Freddie have such a... strong friendship. Maybe before I give the diary back, I should share this knowledge with everyone else..._

_For the first round of this game, you are going to show everyone what a nice girl you are. Your objective: look and act like a nice girl. _

_Good luck :)_

I stared down at the note. You have got to be freaking kidding me. No freaking way. No. No. No.

Who does this kid think they are anyway? I bet it's a dude. I **bet** it is. In fact, I **know** it is. None of the girls at this school are _this_ weird.

And game? I don't want to play games with this freak. Can't he just give it back? Or throw it away or something? What the heck?

"What's that?" A voice says. I look up to see Freddie staring at me with this... look in his eye, like he's proud or sneaky or something.

Is he the guy?

I squint my eyes at him. But he wouldn't... he wouldn't right? If he _did_ find the diary wouldn't he just use it to blackmail me or some other torture? Though what the dude's doing now _is_ torture. Maybe it is FreddieBoy here... I just need to think about this for a while...

"Sam?"

I realize that I have been staring at him for... a long time now and he looks a little weirded out. Wow, embarrassing. I feel my cheeks get warm but I ignore it.

"What do you want nub?" I cover nonchalantly.

"What's that green paper?" He asked, looking pointedly at my binder in my lap.

"None of your nubbin' business."

"A love note? A flier?"

"No. Mind your business."

"I thought we were friends." He says, looking all sad. Stupid nub. I sigh and roll my eyes.

"We might be. But still, this is nothing. I found cool green paper. So instead of sitting here and torturing you, I've decided to draw. Shouldn't you be happy?" I lie, not even thinking about it. 

He gives me a look and is quiet for a moment, before giving me a small smile, "I guess so." And he goes back to his work.

I watch him for a moment, glad he's off of my case. Good, because right now, my problem is bigger and harder than any of those math problems he's working on.


	7. Chapter 6

Sam felt like a flower. A pretty, delicate, weak flower. And she hated it. Whoever found her diary was getting a huge ass kicking when this stupid 'game' was over.

_I mean, who the heck does this dude think he is?_ She thought to herself angrily as she walked down the hall of Ridgeway High the day after the first letter came. She was still a little freaked out by the whole thing- _I mean, is it that hard to just give the freaking thing back? And what's up with the whole 'game' thing? And why did I have to dress like this?_

She was wearing a skirt. Actually, she was wearing the same orange skirt she had worn when she was trying to impress Pete. Not that she had a problem with skirts, she'd wear one occasionally- but it was for a really good reason- it was just the fact that someone was _ordering_ her to be someone she's not. _And_ they were being _really_ creepy about it. She wore a low cut hanging pink shirt she had found in her moms room to go with the skirt.

Her hair hung straight and long, with a pink headband parting her bangs. The only things normal about her outfit were her backpack and her shoes- which she had refused to change. She stomped over to her locker and flung it open, throwing her backpack inside and grabbing a random book and one of her emergency jerky sticks and slammed it shut. She angrily tore the wrapper off of the jerky and shoved it in her mouth.

She looked up and noticed Carly coming toward her. She got closer and noticed Sam's apparel and stopped in her tracks. She did a double take and then looked around. She started looking all over the ceiling as if she was searching for the sky.

"What are you doing?" Sam asked, still chewing her jerky.

Carly's eyes widened, "Sam?"

Sam sighed, "In the flesh."

Carly started to shake her head and back away, searching the ceiling again, "Am I being punked?"

Sam rolled her eyes and clapped her hands, trying to get Carly's attention. When Carly finally stopped acting crazy and turned to give her attention, Sam beckoned her closer.

"What's going on?"

Sam shrugged, "Just trying something new. You know, that whole 'girly' thing kind of messed up last time so I wanted to try again."

"Umm okay..." Carly said suspiciously, eying Sam up and down as if she was crazy, "Why didn't you tell me?"

She shrugged again, "It was more of a spur of the moment thing. Ya know."

"Are you sure- not that you don't look great- it's just... not normal..."

"Jeez Carles, get off my back. I just wanted to do this." She said, aggravated.

Carly held her hands up in mock surrender, "Sah-rry Miss Grumpy Pants.." She turned and opened her locker and Sam ignored her, turning to see Freddie walking down the hall toward them doing something on his phone.

Suddenly, her own phone started vibrating and she pulled it out of her pocket, seeing she had a text. The number said private and the message said: You look lovely, don't forget to act that way!

She looked back up at Freddie, who had put his phone in his pocket and was not only a few meters away from them.

"Hey Carly." He said and Carly waved in return. He turned and acknowledged Sam, "Demon." Then he looked down and noticed her outfit, raising his eyebrows, "Ummm...".

She bit her tongue to hold back the smart ass reply that was about to slip out and instead smiled sweetly, "Hi Fredwardo, whadaya think?"

He eyed her outfit again, for just a moment too long, and then looked back up at her face, his expression slightly shocked and slightly expectant, "I think you look great."

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"Carles," Sam hissed later on at lunch, "People are _looking_ at me..."

Carly laughed, "Well Sam, what did you expect, of course they are."

Sam shifted, "Well it's weird. Don't these people have _lives? _I just want to get up and slap a few of 'em. That'll get 'em to stop."

Carly laughed again, "Well you do look pretty hot, you can't blame them," she giggled and lowered her voice, "Especially Freddie,"

Sam's eyes widened, "_What?_"

Carly shushed her, "Shh, he's coming, and he is totally checking you out,"

"_What?" _Sam exclaimed shrilly. Carly just giggled again.

"Whaddup ladies," Freddie greeted nearing the table. He plopped down next to Sam, even though the seat next to Carly on the other side was free.

"Hey Freddie," Carly greeted.

"Nub," Sam nodded, turning back to her lunch.

Carly and Freddie started talking about some class they shared together while Sam's mind wandered. She thought about the creep who had her diary, and why he was doing this to her. She figured he was probably someone who didn't like her very much. Either that or it was a friend pulling a joke or getting revenge.

She looked at her phone sitting on the table in front of her and then at the boy sitting next to her.

"Yo Fredlumps?" She asked, interrupting whatever he was saying to Carly. He stopped mid sentence and turned to her, raising his eyebrows. "Who were you texting this morning before school by our lockers?"

He gave her a look, "What are you, my mom?"

She sighed, "Just answer the question before I-" She remembered the text she had received earlier, "Before I- Ummm, cry..." She said awkwardly and then made a face at how stupid it sounded.

"Cry?" Carly asked from across the table. Sam dismissed her odd sentence with a wave of her hand.

"So?" She asked him impatiently.

He looked at her and then said slowly, "I was texting Gibby... about the math homework."

She stared at him for a moment, judging whether the answer was good or not, and then decided she'd see if she believed him later. She turned back to her lunch thoughtfully without another word to either of her friends.

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"Hey Sam?" She heard someone call after her in the hallway after fifth period. She turned around and saw Freddie walking toward her. She stopped.

"Yeah?"

"You've been awfully quiet today... What's going on?" He asked, studying her closely, "And does it have anything to do with your sudden 'urge' to dress like you did when you wanted Pete?"

She bit back an insult. _Wouldn't you like to know... _She thought testily. This last half of the day she was starting to feel really irritated. All of the teacher kept asking her stupid questions like 'Sam, why aren't you terrorising my class?' and crap like that. _What do you __**want**__ me to terrorize your class? You should be happy, stupid. _She had thought. And almost _all_ of her students were asking similar questions. It was really irritating, and turned her mood even worse than it already was.

She mentally sighed, "Frednerd, I am fine. I'm just tired," Which wasn't a complete lie. She hadn't slept very well, she kept thinking about her 'challenge' and her 'diary'. It was all just so tiring and it was taking away from her sleeping and eating schedule.

"And you're dressed like that because...?"

"Am I not allowed to dress like this?" She snapped, "So Carly and Wendy and every other girl in the school, they're allowed to dress like this, but I'm not?"

"Sam I didn't mean it that way..."

She sighed and bit her tongue, speaking quietly, "Whatever. I have to go." She said and then turned and hurried off to class before he could say anything.

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She got a pass out of that class to go to the principal's office. The teacher gaped at her: Sam Puckett was going to the principal's office, voluntarily. Sam rolled her eyes but made no comment. She made her way down the hall and into the principal's office, smiling sweetly at the secretary, before letting herself into Principal Franklin's office.

"Oh, hello Sam." He greeted her, looking up from the papers on his desk.

"Hey Ted," Sam said kind of gloomily.

"What's wrong, Sam?"

She sighed, "Someone stole that stupid journal diary thing." She sunk down into a chair and crossed her arms.

Ted's shoulders dropped and he gave Sam a sympathetic look, "Well do you know who?"

She debated whether she should tell him about the 'game' but decided against it because he was a principal and he would most likely try to announce to the whole school that 'Sam Puckett has lost her diary' and she really couldn't deal with that at the moment.

"I don't know who took it,"

"I see,"

"But anyway, I just wanted to tell you that it's gone, so I guess I won't be writing anymore..."

"Sam I hate to hear that. I think that you should just start a new diary until you find your old one."

"But Ted!" She whined.

"Look, I'll make you a deal. If you start a new diary, I'll give you fifty cents for each entry you make. Before a set date of course. And they have to be real entries. You can't just write a sentence or a word. The lengths have to be approved before you get paid."

Her eyes widened, it wasn't _much_ cash, but it was more than she had at the moment. And besides, being paid to write her opinions and her thoughts? That was almost as good as ham. _Almost. _And it almost took her mind off of the game.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.

"Ted," Sam stood up and extended her arm for him to shake, "You've got yourself a deal." And they shook on it.

"That's great to hear, Sam. Now you should get back to class you know..."

She wrinkled her nose but decided not to argue, "Fine. But only because I'm happy about the deal."


	8. Chapter 7

The mark of her personal tormentor was displayed right in front of her. She was almost positive that her mouth was hanging wide open and her eyes were wide.

There, on the projector was an entry from her diary, ripped out and taped to the days assignment.

_For some reason, I couldn't stop staring at his chest and arms. I mean, that puny little nerd is really starting to fill out.._

Everyone was gaping at it, giggles and laughs erupted, followed by a few "no way's" and "Aren't you married?" and "Get it Mrs. Harper!" and one "PEDO!", which caused _everyone_ to laugh. All Sam could do was gape though. The teacher gasped and blushed, quickly snatching the paper up and tossing it into the trash bin.

"Class!" She said sternly, "That is ENOUGH." The laughter and comments halted. "Now I don't know who pulled this prank but-" She droned on and on but Sam didn't hear any of it. She was still gaping at the now blank projector screen. She squeezed the pencil in her hand as hard as she could and gritted her teeth, seeing nothing but red.

Sudden pain shot through her hand and pulled her out of her reverie. She gasped loudly and looked down at her bleeding hand and broken pencil. There were splinters in her hand and she closed her eyes realizing that, on top of everything else, she had stabbed herself with a freaking pencil.

"Whoa, Sam! What did you do?" A voice asked from beside her. She opened her eyes to see Gibby, and now the rest of the class, staring at her. She scoffed and turned to him.

"What does it look like, dipthong?" She hissed, loud enough for him to hear but quiet enough that the teacher didn't hear.

The teacher rushed over to her, gasping, "Samantha! Are you okay?"

She's still angry. So angry, in fact, that she stands up and pushes past the teacher and the desks and the students, and pushes herself right out the door.

As soon as she's out the door she stops for a moment and attempts to calm herself down. Her face is red from embarrassment and she's trembling and panting hard and every muscle in her body is aching to hit something, _anything. _She walks toward the lockers nearest her and kicks the metal material.

The pain that shoots through her foot tells her how stupid that move was. And then she's standing in the hallway clutching her foot like one of those goofy cartoon characters.

"Stupid metal demons." She mutters as she deals with the pain in her foot AND her hand. The splinters were still in her hand and she realizes that it hurts. It hurts really bad.

"Stupid splinters." She mumbles again, sinking to the ground and clutching her aching hand.

"I heard that people who talk to themselves are sixty percent more likely to be checked into a mental institution than us normal people." A voice comments from in front of her- a voice that is TOO familiar.

She shakes her head and curses, realizing that, yes, this day can [and did] get much worse.

"What do you want, Benson?" She says testily, not looking up. She lets her blonde locks fall in front of her face and clenches her teeth, knowing that, while she was pissed before, all he would do was make her angrier.

"I want you to teach me that 'cool' dance move you just pulled a few minutes ago." He says and she fights the urge to grin. She loses when she looks up and sees him clutching his foot and jumping around, similar to the way she was earlier.

She laughs and he starts laughing with her. That is. Until he sees the injured hand she's holding in her lap.

"What happened!" He exclaims. She sighs and stand up. He reaches out and grabs her splintered hand, looking closely at the blood and pencil bits stuck to it.

She shrugs, not wanting to discuss what happened in class, "I lost a fight with my pencil."

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After freaking out for a good ten minutes, the nub finally escorted her to the nurses office, which she mentioned continuously was a very nubby thing to do. As the nurse took care of her hand, she distracted herself from the pain by asking Freddie why he was in the hallway.

"The teacher gave us the class for today to work on our projects for her class. Mine is already done so she said I could go to the library." He shrugged.

"Oh." She says as a particularly painful sting is felt in her palm from the nurse removing the splinters. She made no noise but grimaced, trying to hide the pain. Freddie must have sensed it though, because he started talking again.

"So Gibby texted me and said someone stuck a note on Mrs. Harper's overhead.

Sam grimaced again, not really wanting to talk about it but knowing he would bug her until she told him something. "Yeah, it was... pretty funny."

"You don't sound very amused. When he said that I figured it was you who did it, pulling another prank."

She glared at him, "I had _nothing_ to do with that." She snapped.

"Samantha, making a fist does not help me get the splinters out." The nurse said quietly. Sam almost jumped, she'd forgotten the nurse was even there.

Freddie, looking a little frightened by Sam's sudden anger, mumbled quietly, "Sam. She goes by Sam."

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After leaving the nurses office, Freddie even went as far as to walking Sam back to her locker. 'Just to make sure you don't get mad and beat up a Gibby. That wouldn't be good for your arm.' He'd said.

To which she replied, "Yeah, well, if you don't stop being such a freak I'm gonna hurt my arm by beating up a Freddie.'

And after that the rest of the walk was silent. When they reached their lockers, Freddie opened his and so did Sam. Another period had passed while they were in the nurses office and even though Freddie had brought his book along with the other books, he put the previous classes books away while Sam stared at a folded piece of paper stuck in her locker.

This one was neon pink and hard to miss. _Okay, maybe this dude __**is**__ a chick. What's with all of the neon colors?_

She glanced down at Freddie and made sure he was busy in his own locker before slipping the note out of hers and into her book. She slammed her locker shut, startling Freddie. He closed his and stood up to face her.

"Well..." He started, looking at her.

"What?" she replied.

"I'm going to class now."

"Good for you."

He looked like he was about to protest but seemed to change his mind before speaking again. "I guess I'll see you later then." He mumbled, turning around to head to class. She watched him until he was about to turn the corner and then spoke.

"Yo Fredhead." She called and he looked back at her."Thanks." She said and then turned around and headed toward class before he could reply.

Since her classroom was near a bathroom, Sam slipped in there before heading to class. There, she opened her book and took out the note.

She opened it and read:

_**Dearest Samantha,**_

_**Isn't it wonderful to hear from me? By the way, you looked wonderful the other day :)**_

_Ohmyham that smile was so creepy._ Sam thinks and then continues.

_**Anyway, down to business. Your behavior that day was... okay. It could have been better but I'll let that go. **_

_**Did you enjoy my surprise in your first period class? If you ask me, it was a real knee slapper. **_

_**This time, I think you'll like and hate what I have chosen for you. **_

_**Let me explain, see, your diary screams that you would love it, but your everyday person shows that you would absolutely hate it. **_

_**I want you to flirt with Freddie. **_

Sam jaw literally dropped to the ground. "WHAT!" She screamed so loud she was positive anyone walking by the bathroom could hear her.

_**I'm not talking about that subtle 'I hate you , but I actually love you' thing you two have going on. I want real, hard, and obvious flirting. **_

_**Before you disagree or refuse not to do it, remember that what you wrote in your diary is much worse than what you have to do. **_

_**Good luck in this round. I will be watching. **_

_**.**_

_**.**_

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_**.**_

_**.**_

**Dear yellow pad of paper, **

**First of all, you are extremely tacky and I will definitely not be using you again. I'm only using you now because my mom's had glued all of the available paper to the ceiling and hid all of my notebooks. **

**Why would she do such a thing, you ask? Simple, my mother is crazy. **

**In fact, I'm supposed to go shopping with her in a few minutes. She needs _another_ new swimming suit. **

**Second of all, I am thoroughly pissed off right now. I am so pissed that I can't even write normal. I'm writing like a proper little nub. **

**Why is Sam pissed off? You may be thinking? Simple, my life is over. **

**That's right. My whole existence: done with. As of this time tomorrow, I will be dead. **

**I will either have died of embarrassment, or committed Sam-i-cide. **

**For my funeral, I would like to be buried with several hams and dressed in my red and black checkered boxers and a penny tee and a neon green feather boa...**

**WAIT! I texted Carly my funeral information [cleverly avoiding telling her _why_ I'm dying] and she told me that I can't die tomorrow because next week that wonderful new restaurant opens. _The Ham and Bacon Hut. _**

**Well, there's been a change of plans. **

**SAM PUCKETT FTW.**

**I'm back, chickens.**

**SamLovesHam**


	9. Chapter 8

_**Sam's List of Things That Need to be Said Before She Dies of Embarrassment**_

_**Ms. Briggs, I was the one who posted those pictures of your face glued onto a dinosaur's body, Not Gibby. **_

_**Freddie, I was the one who made your laptop keys all sticky. I was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich and using your laptop.**_

_**Carly, your blue top didn't dissapear, I accidentally spilled ink all over it when I putting ink in balloons to throw at people. **_

_**Freddie,I threw the ink balloon that hit you in your face last week. **_

_**For the record, everything I did today WAS A DARE.**_

_**Freddie, I... don't hate you as much as I thought I did. **_

_**I'm just really confused. **_

_**Gibby, never wear that leather jacket again. You looked more like you're from Spongebob  instead of Grease.**_

Sam stopped writing and closed her school notebook, sticking it in her backpack. She'd finish the list later, now, if she didn't hurry, her mom wouldn't drive her to school and she's have to take the bus.

She set her bag down and walked across the hallway to the bathroom. She looked at herself in the mirror and wondered if she could pull it off. She brushed her hair, trying to make it look less crazy, and smeared some chap-stick over her lips. Then she brushed her teeth and washed her face, just in time to catch a ride from her mom.

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When Sam got to school, she took a deep breath and entered through the door closest to the hallway hers, Carly's, and Freddie's lockers were.

_This is better than what's in that diary. _She reminded herself as she walked toward her locker, spotting Freddie and Carly chatting. She walked right up and threw her locker open, deciding to start smoothly.

"Hey Sam." Carly greeted her and Sam gave a "Hey Carles," in reply.

"Sam." Freddie greeted, nodding at her and reaching into his own locker.

"Hey Fredward," She greeted, "Looking good." She complimented and waited until he looked up at her, to smile at him.

"Um..." Carly said from beside her, having dropped everything she was doing to openly gape at Sam, along with Freddie. "Since when do you think Freddie looks good?" Freddie shot her a look, "No offense Freddie."

Sam shrugged and felt a tickle in her stomach, "A while, I guess."

"Huh?" Freddie gasped and Sam finished pulling her books out and shut the door, turning around to face Carly and Freddie, who had both done the same.

"Well," Sam started, "You're a good looking dork."

Carly's mouth dropped open at this and she spoke, "Sam are you feeling okay?" She held a hand up to Sam's forehead. Sam shook it off and reached out and squeezed Freddie's arm, leaving it there as she spoke.

"I'm serious. Have you been working out?" She said and then winced at how incredibly cliché that was and decided to Sam-it-up a bit, "Cuz you aren't as puny and nubby as you used to be.

Freddie couldn't even bring himself to roll his eyes, they were glued to Sam's smiling face. Her hand was still on his arm and he was shocked that she could touch him for so long without melting or 'dying of nerd disease'. Sam was also gaping at Sam, but snapped out of it quickly, clutching her books closer to her chest and speaking.

"Okay, this is weird. I'm going to class, and maybe afterwards, things will be back to normal." She smiled at them and looked at Sam suspiciously before turning away and running off to class.

After she walked away there was a short silence until Freddie broke his trance and spoke, "You hate me... right?"

She bit her lip and spoke quietly, "I never said I hate you."

His eyes widened, "Yeah, you have! Like, nine hundred times. I _still_ have the birthday card you gave me that says, 'Happy Birthday, I hate you. Hate, Sam!'"

Sam just laughed, causing him [and the several other students standing in the hallway] to give her a strange look.

"Fredward, things change." She said, smirking. And then she squeezed his arm again, before walking off down the hall to her class.

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Of all of the emotions Freddie Benson was feeling, confusion overpowered all of them. As he sat in his first period class, he was unable to pay attention. All he could think about was a certain blonde smirking at him just minutes before.

_'Fredward, things change.'_ Her voice kept playing in his head over and over, and he replayed all that happened that morning, in his head multiple times.

He tried again, to focus on what the teacher was saying, but failed miserably, instead just looking down and doodling in his notebook, pretending to take notes. Not that the teacher would bust him, he was always good in class and she probably didn't even notice that he wasn't paying attention.

He sat, idly drawing, with his thoughts focused on Sam, and trying to figure what the hell was going on with her today.

He bit his lip and remembered that he had class with her next period, most periods actually, and wondered if her odd behavior would continue.

_It was just so... different_, he thought. Remembering her hand on his arm, squeezing lightly and her smile [_man, her smile_] aimed at him and making his stomach flutter. The compliments, the subtly flirting.

_'I never said I hate you.'_

Her face, in that moment, staring at him with true sincerity, her deep blue eyes looking honest and nervous and he couldn't help but think that it was so... odd, for Sam to be acting that way.

Unless she... liked him.

_'You're a good looking dork.'_

But that was impossible, she was _Sam_. Sam Puckett, the girl who made it her sole mission to make his life miserable,- The girl who had put chocolate in his shoes, and was constantly putting him down- _couldn't _like him.

But why was she acting so weird?

And what did it all mean?

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As second period rolled around, Sam found herself early for class. She didn't want to admit it, but she actually liked flirting with Freddie. It was funny watching him squirm... [and the way he didn't immediately turn her down gave her hope that maybe, maybe he **liked** her.]

She just didn't know if she liked him. She didn't really know _how_ she felt. All she knew, was that she didn't hate him anymore.

Maybe, if she kept up this flirting thing, she could figure it out. Maybe she could judge his reaction to it and see if... these feelings she had were... well, big.

As students walked into the room, they looked at Sam with shocked expressions. Usually, she was the one strolling into class 10 minutes late, not sitting in her seat before the bell even rang.

Freddie walked into class shortly after the warning bell sounded, and he stopped right in his tracks when he saw Sam, sitting in her desk, smirking at him.

He looked around to make sure he was in the right class and hadn't somehow wandered into detention, but things seemed normal. Then he pinched himself to see if he was dreaming, but all that did was make his arm hurt. So his slowly shuffled over to his seat, in front of Sam, feeling her gaze on him the whole time.

"Hey Frederica." She greeted, her smirking gaze fixed on him, even as he looked straight ahead.

"Hey Sam." He replied, careful not to look at her, focusing on preparing a piece of paper for today's notes. He could feel her looking at him, waiting for him to look back; and when he didn't, she made a huffing noise and turned back around to focus on her own desk.

He glanced over at her, only to see that she was scribbling something on a pad of post it notes. He watched her, she would write something, and then bite her lip and rip the post it note off crumpling it up and throwing it in her bag and starting to write on another one.

He took that time to look at her, _really_ look at her, and noticed that she looked different today. She looked really... pretty. Her hair was styled, he could tell because these curls were neater than her natural curls. Her clothes fit her well and showed off her killer curves, and [it wasn't like he hadn't _known] _But he realized that Sam... Sam is a girl. A real live girl. All those years, he had thought of her as... a tormentor? A frenemy? It never really occurred to him that she was a girl, and a _very_ attractive one at that.

But why was he noticing it now? What made him come to this conclusion?

Maybe it was because, for the fir- second [can't forget about their first kiss] time in all of the years he had known her, she was showing an interest in him.

As he was trying to figure all of this out, the teacher had walked in and started a lecture and Sam had finished scribbling. It occurred to him that he was openly staring at her so he turned back to his desk, only to be distracted and amazed by a post it note [the _same_ post it note Sam had been scribbling on] was now sticking to the edge of his desk.

He sat, staring at it, not looking, just watching it hang there. Until he heard a voice hiss next to him.

"It's a note, Freddison, you're supposed to read it." She rolled her eyes and smirked at him- Something so _Sam_, yet flirty, that it made his eyes widen. He quickly turned back around and focused on the purple post it note in front of him.

_**Are you mad at me? Is it because I put the peanut butter in your pillow? It wasn't my fault though, I was trying to help you get the gum out of your hair...**_

He rolled his eyes at the note and glanced at her, she was staring straight ahead, but she had a smile on her face. He looked at her messy scrawl once again, and then turned the note over and wrote on the back.

**The gum that YOU put in my hair! And how exactly was peanut butter in my pillow going to get the gum out of my hair?**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

**.**

After a class full of post it notes and a DVD about whales, the bell rang to end 2nd period. Sam and Freddie walked out of class together [as usual] and walked to their lockers.

"I'm telling you," Freddie was saying as they approached, emphasizing with his hand "the movie really isn't that bad. I even bought it on DVD when it came out."

"Only a nub like you would buy such a lame movie. Who watches a movie about another nub, who turns out to be _a really cool guy who's actually very talented and nice._" Sam said in a nasally voice with a sarcastic grin on her face.

He rolled his eyes and smirked, "It's a good movie. You should see it. It's better than you think."

"Well," She said smiling at him, "maybe I will see it."

"See what?" Carly said, walking up to her locker.

Sam shook her head, "Just this lame movie Fredwad's all crazy about."

Freddie just rolled his eyes again and Carly let the matter drop, changing the subject.

"You two are weird. Anyway, have either of you seen that note or whatever it is?"

"What note?"

"There's some kind of... I don't know quote or something. Looks like it was pulled from a book, or a diary." Carly shrugged.

Sam froze and dropped the fat cake she was pulling from her locker. "Paper from a diary?" She asked Carly worriedly, "Where?"

Carly gave her a puzzled look, "Stuck to a mirror in the girls bathroom..." Carly pointed toward the bathroom, "Why-" She started, but Sam wasn't listening.

She slammed here locker shut and took off down the hallway, and then turned back around, picked up the fat cake, and took off again.

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She ran through the hallways, pushing everyone who got in her way and screaming at a kid who tried to stop her. The bathroom was, close but at that moment, it was a million miles away. You know how you run all slow in dreams? Well that's how she felt as she sped through the halls. She finally reached the door with the triangle stick figure lady on it and she threw the door open.

Two girls were at mirrors in the bathroom but Sam growled and they quickly left the restroom, Sam looked at the mirror and indeed, there was a small square of paper stuck to it. She ran up to the mirror and gasped.

_I don't like him, I don't. I mean, he's in love with my best friend. I just.. I like the way our names sound together. They just... click._

"Oh. My. Diary." Sam shook her head, not believing that someone would do such a thing to her. Those thoughts were _private_. And what did this person have against her anyway?

She clenched her teeth and her hands twisted into fists. _What the hell did I do? What gives who ever this psycho is, the right to ruin my life?_

Honestly, she was sick of it. This person had no right... no right. But they were still ruining her life. She felt tears brewing in her eyes but she tried to blink them away. She would _not_ cry over something so stupid.

She ripped the paper down, and then ripped it to pieces. But that still didn't feel like enough. She threw her fists at the mirror and pulled them away quickly before they could cut. The glass immediately broke and fell to pieces right in the sink. She vaguely registered the sound of the final bell [the tardy bell] ringing. But she was far from caring. She looked at the glass in the sink and then at her fists, which were red and swollen. And she just couldn't take it.

"_Why_?" She asked no one, in a voice that was tired, sad. And then she burst into tears, putting her cut up fists over her eyes and crying.

She heard someone pounding on the door, probably a janitor [A girl would just come in] and she screamed, "GO AWAY!" And then she shot up, her tears stopping, and she stood, glaring at the door.

"Sam?" A voice asked.

_Are you serious?_ She thought.

"Go away," She demanded, her voice strong, but wobbly. She heard the door hesitantly squeak open and she stared at Freddie in disbelief.

"Wow, Fredwad, you've finally made the full transition into womanhood. Welcome to the ladies restroom." She teased, hoping to sound normal even though her face was red and wet.

Freddie rolled her eyes but looked at her with concern, "Are you okay?"

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"I heard crying on my way to class, and glass breaking..." His gaze drifted over to the sink full of glass and his eyes widened. He looked at her and saw her red, bloody hand.

"Ohmy... Sam." He reached for her hand but she snatched it away.

"Get outta here!" She demanded.

"No- haven't we been to the nurse enough this week?"

"I'm not going to the nurse. It's fine." She told him, "I don't even feel it."

He rolled his eyes, ignoring this comment, and grabbed her hand, examining it closely.

She winced when he grabbed it and he smirked, "Liar. You don't have to go to the nurse. I can fix it right up for you."

He led her over to the sink, and she didn't oblige, she was tired and it felt nice to be taken care of.

He turned the water on and let it run over her hand, it burned at first and she splashed him. He shook his head, but turned the water down and put her hand back under. He let it run for a moment, and then pulled a small first aid kit out of his backpack.

"Are you serious?" She laughed, and it felt good.

"My mom..." He said, that explained everything.

Sam laughed harder, "I knew your mom was crazy," She shook her head and was almost crying from all of the laughing, "But I didn't think she was _this_ crazy!"

"Do you want your hand fixed or not?"

"Okay, okay," She made truce, "I'm done." She pretended to zip her lips and smiled really big, holding back a laugh.

He sighed, "Go ahead."

She burst into giggles, "Your. Mom. Is. A. Nut case." He tried to ignore her, but her laugh was contagious.

So there they are, standing in the girls bathroom, laughing.

By the time their laughter died down, Freddie was done.

"There ya go."

She looked down at her hand and was shocked to see that during all of their laughter he had treated and bandaged her hand. "Wow, Fredifer, you should be a nurse. Just like your mother. Next thing ya know, you'll be just as crazy as she is."

She laughed and he smiled. They just looked at each other for a short moment, until he broke the silence.

"What was that about, earlier?" He asked, referring to that morning.

She froze, remembering what she was supposed to do. _Shit_ she thought. _That note made me forget..._

She laughed in what she hoped sounded flirty and lighthearted.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"You complimented me..."

"I was just speaking the truth," She watched as his face twisted into confusion. She smiled at him deviously, reaching down and grabbing her bag.

"Oh Fredward, Just shut up and take the compliment." She said, and then laughed. She pushed past him to leave, smacking his behind on the way out.

Freddie just stood, frozen with shock. A few minutes after Sam left, the door opened again and he figured it was her coming back to find out why he was still there.

He was wrong.

"AAAAAHHHH!" A female screamed from behind him. He turned around to see a red-headed teacher gaping at him. "What are you-" She started but her look of surprise quickly turned into a look of anger, "Come with me you little pervert!" She reached out and grabbed his arm, dragging him out of the ladies room.

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Lunch time rolled around. By then, Sam was back on her game and ready to finish her task in hope that it would be the last one.

She got her tray and walked over to the table she and her friends usually sat at. Carly and Freddie were already there, making light conversation. She smirked to herself, _too easy_ she thought.

Instead of grabbing her usual seat by Carly on one side, she sat right next to Freddie on his side.

"Um, hey Sam." Carly greeted, looking slightly confused.

"Hey Carles." Sam replied as if nothing was wrong. Then she turned to Freddie and smirked, "Hey Fredward." She smiled at him and then quickly turned back to face Carly, who hadn't seen any of it and was talking about a test she'd taken earlier that day. Sam could feel Freddie gaping at her and it was enough to keep a small smile on her face.

When he finally stopped staring, she shifted, leaning closer to him and letting her elbow graze his as she 'picked up her cookie',

She could feel him tense up and she laughed, pretending it was at something Carly had said, and thought to herself _This is much more fun than I thought. _

Lunch progressed and it was 25 of the most interesting minutes she'd had in a while. Toward the middle of lunch she had slipped her shoe off and lightly grazed her socked foot up Freddie's thigh- this to which his breath hitched and he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye.

At a silent point, she had turned her head to face Freddie, her foot still going up and down his leg [and driving him crazy, she could tell]

She smiled, "We should all go to Groovy Smoothie after school," She suggested, looking only at him but directing the comment to both him and Carly.

"Sounds great!" Carly agreed and then looked down at her phone to text someone back.

"What about you Freddie?" Sam asked, smirking now. She grazed his hand with hers and he gulped.

"I don't know... I um... have detention..." He stuttered, looking back at her surprisingly seductive face staring back at him.

"For what?" Carly asked, shocked.

"Um... I don't want to talk about it..." Sam looked at him with a disappointed look, "But how about we go after?"

She laughed and nudged his shoulder with hers, "Fine, but you're buying me a smoothie." She told him.

"Ummm, okay." He agreed, confused. Her foot was warm, running up and down his leg.

Several times during lunch she 'accidentally' grazed her hand against his or nudged him or anything else to make contact with him.

By the time the bell rang, she had slipped her shoe back on and jumped up, ready to walk off with Carly.

"See you later, nub." She greeted as if nothing had happened and that that lunch period wasn't the most heated and personal one they had ever had.

Freddie stayed seated, taking his time, confused.

As Sam and Carly walked out of the cafeteria, Carly pulled Sam to the side and said quietly but excitedly, "Freddie kept looking at you! The whole lunch period!"

Sam just shook her head and laughed, hooking her arm through Carly's and leading her off to their class.

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.

Sam was having a blast, This whole flirt with Freddie thing wasn't as bad as she had thought it would be. It was actually a better form of torture than half of her usual stuff. She would have to use this more often. It was right before last period study hall. After lunch, whenever she had seen Freddie she laid her best moves on him. She slapped his behind three more times, felt his arm twice, and winked at him several times.

Next period they had study hall together and she couldn't _wait. _A whole period of doing nothing but watch Freddie squirm. She walked up to her locker, where Freddie and Carly were already conversing.

"Her tests are super hard and she never tells us about them until the weekend before." Carly was saying, pulling out her Biology book.

"Yeah, I'm glad I don't have her." Freddie replied.

"Ew. You're talking about school." Sam commented, joining the conversation.

Carly shook her head, "I'm just talking about Ms. Reynolds, I got a B on her last test!" Carly exclaimed.

Sam rolled her eyes, "You're such a nerd."

Carly shook her head again, smiling, "Yeah, well this nerd has got to get to class. See you later." She waved as she walked off and Sam threw her locker open.

"I have so much homework." Freddie complained, pulling books out and putting books in."

Sam smirked, "You can finish it all in detention."

"It's your fault I even have detention!"

"What? Don't blame me for _your_ problems, kid."

Freddie sighed, "I got detention for being in the girls bathroom."

Sam laughed, "Are you serious?" She laughed some more, moving a book in her locker and finding a purple envelope underneath it.

She stopped laughing once she saw it and gasped.

"What?" Freddie asked, looking at her with concern.

She snatched the envelope up and threw it in her bag, shutting her locker and turning to him, "Nothing. Just... remembered I forgot my emergency fat cake at home."

"Oh," Freddie said, "Don't worry, I brought one just in case you held my math homework hostage again." He smirked and reached into his backpack, pulling a fat cake out and throwing it into her waiting hands.

"Woohoo." Sam approved, tearing the sugary treat open and taking a bite, "Now come on, I don't want to show up late _and_ with a nerd."

Freddie rolled his eyes and slammed his locker shut, running to catch up with Sam who was already halfway down the hallway.

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_**Dear Samantha, **_

_** I must say, I'm quite impressed with your results in this challenge. Very impressed. I didn't know you would be so into flirting with Freddie. If I didn't know any better, I would think you two were a couple. Impressive. **_

_** Now, I'm sorry to say, this will be your last challenge. **_

_YES! I'm FREE! _Sam thought to herself, mentally cheering. _No more of this loser bossing me around._

_** It was fun though. **_

_** After you complete this challenge, I will return your diary and leave you alone. Then you can go back to your devious and evil ways. **_

_** Here's your challenge: QUIT iCarly.**_


	10. Chapter 9

_No no no no no no NO!_ Sam thought as she gaped at the letter she had stuck in the History textbook she had been pretending to study.

_**Here's your challenge: QUIT iCarly.**_

_No! This creep has officially gone too far. When I get my hands on this jerk I'm going to-_

"Sam?" A voice interrupted her inner rambling. She looked up at Freddie and gave him an annoyed look.

"What?" She snapped. Slamming the book shut and laying it down on the table. She was tired of _looking _at that stupid note.

Freddie's eyes widened as Sam glared at him, "I- I just wanted to tell you that your phone is vibrating." He stuttered, motioning to her phone sitting on the table underneath the strap of her bag and out of view of the librarian.

Sam picked her phone up to see that she had a new message. The number was unknown.

**It's for the best, Sam. You wouldn't want your 'secrets' getting out, would you?**

She dropped her phone on the table and Freddie looked up at her, startled.

"What's wrong?" He asked, setting his book down and giving her a concerned look. Her mouth opened, but no words came out. She was... shocked. How did this creep even get her phone number? And what gives him the right... the right to do this to her? Who the _hell_ does he think he is?

She was snapped out of her reverie when she saw Freddie, whom she still hadn't answered and had been trying to get her attention, reach across the table for her phone.

_"_No!" She exclaimed, snatching the phone up and throwing it in her bag. Freddie looked torn between frightned and hurt. She was about to give a lame excuse, when another voice joined their conversation.

"Excuse me!" The shrill voice of the librarian hissed from beside their table. Neither of the teens looked at her, instead Sam looked down at her History book and Freddie looked at Sam.

"Do we have a problem here?" The librarian demanded, folding her arms. She had pale red hair worn in a tight ponytail. She wore a blue and green old lady dress that only made her look like a television librarian (Minus the long ruler that she would hit against the table and the thick black reading glasses).

Sam didn't anything, but she could feel Freddie staring at her, waiting for her to look at him or make some attempt to answer the librarian.

After a few moments, she heard him sigh and he looked away from her, at the librarian, "No problem here, maam."

The librarian looked pointedly at Sam, but Sam did not look up from her book. "Well good. Because this is a _library_and it's a rule that-" The woman began rambling but Sam, irritated from the letter and the text, snapped at her.

"Look." She said icily, "He said there's no problem here. So why don't you prance back over to your office and change into something that doesn't make me want to vomit? You'll be doing us all a favor."

The librarian gasped, literally putting a hand to her mouth, "Excuse me! What did you just say to me! Do you know who I am?"

"Do you know who **I** am?" Sam snapped right back, slamming her book shut and standing up, face to face with the woman. "Sam Puckett. My picture is in the teacher's lounge. You know, it says WARNING right underneath." Sam glared.

The older woman's eyes widened as she stared at Sam in complete terror. Freddie jumped up before the woman could do one of two things: run away crying, or give Sam detention.

"Come on Sam," He told her, reaching down and picking up his bag and the Physics book he had been studying from.

"Whe-" Sam started but was interrupted by Freddie grabbing her arm and yanking her toward the door. She managed to grab her bag and book before she was pulled away from the glaring contest she was having with the snotty librarian.

As soon as they reached the hallway, Sam yanked her arm away from him and opened her bag. Busying herself with putting the book inside and pulling her phone out.

"What was that!" Freddie demanded, watching as she took her time to carefully place the book inside.

"She was being annoying." Sam mumbled, pulling her phone out and sticking it in her back pocket.

"So? Sam, you can't just threaten everyone who annoys you!"

She zipped her bag up and slung it on her back before looking up and glaring at him, "Says who?"

He rolled his eyes, but took a step back. "Sam.." He started but stopped himself, lowering his voice and leaning toward her, "What's going on?"

She avoided his eyes, shifting her bag on her back, "I don't know what you're talking about. I'm always rude to faculty and staff."

"I mean what's been going on with _you_. All week you've been acting weird." He reached his hand out and touched her shoulder, trying to get her to look at him, "I'm starting to get worried."

Her eyes darted to his face and she glared, snatching her arm away, "Don't be." She hissed. Before pulling her phone out of her pocket and pushing past him, making sure to bump him extra hard.

As she walked away, toward Carly's last class to wait, she heard him sigh and turn in the other direction, toward their lockers. She looked down at her phone, where the message was still opened, waiting for a reply.

**I'm not doing it. You don't control me.** She typed in reply. Her phone didn't vibrate again until she reached the classroom. She sat down outside of the door and got herself settled first, before opening her phone and looking at the message.

**You better. Or consider your whole high school career over. If iCarly comes on tomorrow and you're on it, your precious "reputation" will be ruined. **

* * *

On the walk home, Sam decides she's had enough of this. Whoever this loser was, he was done messing with her. She was _Sam Puckett _and no one was going to take that from her. As Carly chattered on about some boy in her English class, Sam decided that she would have need help.

"Where's the nub?" Sam asked Carly, interrupting her gushing.

"He's staying after to work on a project. He said he'll be there in time for rehearsal though." Carly replied, confused as to Sam's sudden interest in what Freddie was doing.

Sam nodded and grinned at Carly, commenting that Freddie was such a nerd, before they continued the walk home.

When they finally reached Carly's apartment, Sam barged in, checking for Spencer.

"Where's Spencer?" She asked Carly, as she didn't see him anywhere. She wanted to make sure no one was around when she told Carly what was happening.

"I think he said something about meeting Socko about some new socks." Carly answered, throwing her bag on the floor and making her way to the kitchen, "You want some peppy cola?" She asked Sam, pulling the fridge open and pulling two out.

Sam nodded absentmindedly and took the cola, not opening it. Carly gave Sam a funny look and sat at the counter. "What's up? You seem a little... out of it." She commented, sipping at her drink.

Sam looked around one more time, before sitting across from Carly at the counter, "I have to tell you something." She said, biting her lip.

Carly put her drink down, seeing how upset Sam was. "You can tell me anything. What's going on?"

Sam fingered her drink, not meeting Carly's eyes. "Okay, look. You know how I've been acting kind of... not like myself this week?"

"Oh yeah." Carly replied quickly, nodding her head and raising her eyebrows, "Why _have _you been acting so weird. First, you were dressing like Melanie, then you were acting all nice to Freddie, and then you were... _flirting w_ith Freddie." Carly's face twisted into one of confusion.

"Well," Sam looked up at Carly's concerned and confused face, "The reason I've been acting so weird, is because I'm being blackmailed." She gave Carly an apologetic look.

Carly blinked, and then cocked her head to the side, "Wait, what?" She laughed, "You? Being blackmailed? For what? Stealing a ham?" She continued to laugh, waiting for Sam to join in. Sam's face, though, was serious, so she stopped laughing after a moment. "You-You're seriously being blackmailed?"

Sam nodded.

"By who?"

"If I knew that, I would beat them to a pulp and we wouldn't even have this problem." Sam rolled her eyes.

"Well," Carly shifted, "What are they blackmailing you with?"

Sam looked away, embarrassed already, not replying.

"Sam," Carly pushed, "You've got to tell me so I can help."

Sam sighed, "Well you know how Ted is making me see that The-rape-ist."

Carly rolled her eyes at Sam's name for the specialist, but nodded.

"Well, she made me write in a 'journal'. And I was writing in it for a few months, and then I lost it. Someone must have found it and now they've been torturing me with it."

"So someone stole your diary? Well what did you write about? Your love of meat? I'm sure there was nothing blackmail worthy. You don't have any deep dark secrets." Carly lifted her drink and took a sip, ready to dismiss the whole issue.

"Well..." Sam trailed off. Carly gasped and Sam looked up, giving her a grimace.

"What?" Carly exclaimed, "What's your secret! And why didn't you tell me?"

Sam got up and headed for the couch, picking the remote up, "Because I knew you would freak out."

"Me? Freak out? " Carly asked shrilly, getting up, "Why would I freak out? I mean, you _are_ my best friend and you _are _keeping secrets from me..." She walked over and stood beside the couch, looking at Sam.

"Carles..." Sam said, "I mean, I wrote some things in that _book _that are very personal. But I'm not even sure about them. I mean, I'm not sure how I feel about them. And now this weirdo is taking it all and putting it out of proportion... I just want the stupid book back so I can burn it and forget any of this ever happened."

Carly frowned, "Sam, I'm your best friend, right?"

"Of course you are."

"Well why won't you tell me what the secret was that you wrote in your diary?" Carly demanded, monopolizing her exclaimation.

Sam huffed so Carly went on, "Look, Sam. You're my best friend and I want you to be happy. And you can't be happy if some creep is making you feel so sad."

"I mean," Sam frowned, shifting, "It's not like it's anything huge-"

"Oh. My. Gosh." Carly interrupted, smiling hugely at Sam, "It's a boy isn't it!"

Sam rolled her eyes, "Hardly."

"It _is_ a boy! Now you _have _to tell me!" Carly gushed, sitting on the couch beside Sam. "Who is it?" She crossed her legs and gave Sam her full attention.

Sam hung her head, "No one..."

"Sam!"

"What?"

"Tell me!"

Sam took a deep breath, "Fine, fine. Just to get you out my grill!"

Carly smiled even wider, and Sam couldn't resist giving her a small smile back.

"Okay," Sam stopped smiling, looking down and biting her lip, "it'sfrewwied." She mumbled.

"What?" Carly asked, leaning forward, "I can't hear you."

"It'sfregges." Sam mumbled again.

"Sam," Carly said, frowning, "Speak up."

Sam sighed, grabbing a pillow off of the couch and stuffing her face in it, "It's Freddie!" She screamed into the pillow. She kept her face buried in embarrassment as she waited for Carly's response.

"OH. MY. GOSH!" Carly exclaimed, jumping up. "Ahhh!" She girly-screamed. Sam pulled her face out of the pillow to see Carly jumping around the room screaming like an obsessed fangirl.

"Shhhh!" Sam shushed her.

"This is great!" Carly exclaimed, still jumping.

"No it's not. My head's jacked! I'm bonkers!" Sam protested, putting the pillow down, "I should be checked into a mental hospital!"

"Well I think it's awesome! I think it's great!" Carly grinned.

Sam jumped up, shaking her head, "No, no no, no!" She ran around the room, trying to clear her head.

"Sam," Carly stopped screaming and began chasing Sam, trying to calm her down, "There's nothing wrong with it! Why are you freaking out? Sam, stop it!"

"Accept it, Carls! I've lost my mind!" Sam argued, still running.

Carly finally caught up to her, "What? You think that because you like Freddie-" She started, but Sam interrupted her.

"Ugh! Don't say it out loud! "Sam pressed her palms to her ears, trying to tune Carly out.

"It's all right to say it out loud!" Carly laughed.

"No, it's not!"

Carly rolled her eyes and then skipped away from Sam, yelling, "Sam loves Freddie! Sam loves Freddie!"

"Quit it!" Sam exclaimed, running after her and clamping her hand over her mouth.

Carly groaned loudly.

Sam shook her head, "I'm not letting go until you promise to stop."

Carly frowned and groaned again. Sam still didn't budge, she licked Sam's hand.

"Licking my hand won't make me let go!"

Carly stomped her feet. After a few moments of groaning, she finally quieted down.

"Are you calm now? Can you shut up and help me?" Sam asked, and Carly nodded her head.

Sam slowly pulled her hand from Sam's mouth. Carly starts to speak again and Sam lunges for her, but Carly pushed her hand away.

"I'm done!" Carly reasons. She walks over to the counter, taking a sip of the peppy cola she left sitting there.

"Good, now what are we going to do?" Sam asked, walking over and standing on the other side.

Carly nodded at her, "I've got a plan."

"Okay, tell me."

Carly set her drink down, "Okay, but first things first."

Sam raised her eyebrows, signaling Carly to go on.

Carly grinned at Sam and then screamed at the top of her lungs. "SAM LOVES FREDDIE!"

* * *

_**A/N: Haha, I hoped you guys liked the ILMM scene there ;) Also, I just wanted to mention again that I have a blog/site that I post updates, sneak peeks, and announcements for my stories on. It's **_

arreyellewebb dot tumblr dot com.

_**When you type it in be sure to change the dot's to . And remove the spaces. Anyway, thank you all for sticking with me and I will try to update soon. Only a few more chapters left by the way! PS- I'm sorry for spelling/grammar errors. My spell check was messing up.  
**_

_**-Ariel**_


	11. Chapter 10

_Dear napkin I found on the table,_

_Today is the day. I'm going against this jerk and doing iCarly. Carly and I have a plan worked out and I'm pretty sure it will work. It better. Or once I find out who this weenie is, I' m redefining the term 'ass kicking'. I'm in class right now and Gibby won't stop singing to his avocado. _

_That's right, he's singing to an avocado. All I head behind me is "Oh avocado! Avocado-ooo! Soon you will be in my belly-ooo! Avocado-ooo!" _

_Well, I've got to go take care of the screeching from coming from behind me. Say Bye-ooo to Gibb-ooo._

_-SamLovesHam_

_._

_._

_._

_._

_._

"iCarly in five!" Freddie yelled from upstairs. Sam and Carly sat across from each other at the counter, drinking peppy cola's before the show as Freddie prepared the technical equipment.

"Are you sure about this, Sam?" Carly asked, watching Sam fidget nervously. They had decided that Sam was not going to quit _her _show because some loser told her to. She was tired of taking orders from this dude and even though he says this is the last challenge, she knows that he could blackmail her for the rest of the year. It's time to end this.

"Yeah," Sam said, trying to sound nonchalant, "Besides, I'm sure this dork won't do anything. He's all talk."

Carly nodded, "Okay, but if you decide you can't do it, just tell me. I'll handle it, okay?"

Sam nodded and then rolled her eyes, "Carles, it's no big deal. This is just small high school stuff. If my life were in danger, it would be big. But what's this dude gonna do?"

"Tell Freddie."

"Shhhh." Sam shushed her, making sure no one was within hearing range, "He's not going to tell Freddie because we're going to catch him in the act." Sam reminded her, referring to the second part of their plan. "

"But what if-" Carly began but Sam interrupted her.

"Don't talk like that!"

"3 minutes!" They heard Freddie yell.

Sam glanced in the direction of the stairway, "Let's not talk about this right now."

Carly nodded, "Well are you ready to go up there?"

Sam scoffed, "Freddie's the only one up there, Carles. The worst that'll happen is that we'll get Mad Nerd Disease. "

Carly rolled her eyes and got up, Sam following as they both took their time walking up the stairs. When they reached the studio, Freddie was inside doing something on his computer. Sam strolled in and flung her body into a bean bag while Carly followed suit, asking Freddie what he was doing and taking a sip from her drink.

"I'm getting Hurricane Vision ready for tonight." He looked over at them eagerly, "I can't want to show the fans the new updates I have on it. I can make the hurricane go 50 miles faster and I can-" He started off into a nerdy lecture and was interrupted by Sam making an obnoxious snoring sound and closing her eyes, relaxing into her chair.

"Sam!" Carly laughed, hitting her lightly in the arm. Sam peeked one eye open, looking up at Freddie's slightly angry face.

"Oh sorry," Sam sat up, "Did I fall asleep in the middle of one of your nerd fests again?""

Freddie rolled his eyes but ignored her, "45 seconds," He warned, glancing at his computer.. Sam and Carly finished off their drinks and put them to the side, both standing up and fixing their appearance. As they messed with each others hair Freddie called out, "15 seconds." They both stood up straight and faced the camera. "5...4...3...2..."

"HELLO? HELLO!" Sam shouted as if she were underwater and couldn't hear. She cupped her hand around her ear, trying to hear better.

"I'M CARLY!" Carly shouted just as loudly.

"I'M SAM!"

They looked at each other and both cupped their hands around their mouths as if fighting to be heard, "AND THIS IS iCARLY!"

,

,

,

,

,

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Carly asked nervously as she followed Sam toward the school.

Sam rolled her eyes, "Stop being such a wuss. All we're doing is _arriving early_."

"You don't even arrive on time!" Carly shot back, "And what if we get caught?"

Sam turned around and faced her, "Carles, think about it. Who breaks into a school? Even if we do get caught they wouldn't know what to do with us because no one's a big enough nerd to break into a school three hours before it's supposed to open."

Carly frowned, "I just feel so... dirty."

"You took like three showers before we left. And I'm the one awake at 3 am trying to break into a school! If this jerk doesn't ruin my rep, this will! I should be at home dreaming about ham right now."

Carly rolled her eyes, "Fine. Let's just hurry up and get in before someone sees us."

They crept their way across the grounds until they reached the back door to the cafeteria kitchen. There, waiting for them was one of the school janitors, Jal. Jal was one of the younger janitors, one of three that didn't have gray or white hair. Jal was in his early thirties and he had short dark hair and bright blue eyes.

"Right on time." He complimented, opening the door for them.

"Thanks so much for this, Jal." Carly thanked him sincerely. 

He waved a hand, "No problem. I can't believe someone is sneaking in here just to steal your math book," He said to Carly and she and Sam shared a look.

Now did you ladies bring the food?" He asked and Sam nodded, pulling a Tupperware container out of her backpack.

"Six spaghetti tacos, all yours." She handed him the container and he smiled widely.

"Thank you. I love these things and they taste best when your brother makes them!"

Carly laughed and Jal led them through the kitchen and into the actual cafeteria. He unlocked the cafeteria door and let them into the hallway. He led them down the hall to the AV room where the school security cameras were located.

"I put fresh tapes in each of them, you can take the one you get your guy on and make sure you take the one with me letting you all in. And make sure you replace the tapes you take with fresh ones." He told them as he unlocked the door and led them inside.

"Got it, and thanks again!" Carly said as he smiled at them and then left, closing the door behind him.

"Okay," Carly said as Sam plopped down into one of the chairs in the room. Carly sat down in the other and then looked at the large screens in front of them, all different views of the school.

"Wow." Sam said as she admired the screens too, "No wonder they're always busting me."

Carly reached in her bag and pulled out her PearPod, unraveling the earphones as she spoke, "Sam, they catch you because you like to sign your name at the scene of the crime."

"Hey, no one's going to take credit for Mama's works of art!" Sam defended herself.

Carly shook her head and pulled out a magazine as Sam played around on her phone. _"Right,_ of course not..."

.

.

.

.

"Carly! Sam!" A voice exclaimed, jolting both girls awake.

"Wha- where's the ham?" Sam exclaimed as she woke up, pushing her wild curls out of her face and holding her cell phone in the air as a weapon. Carly rubbed her eyes and shifted in her chair muttering something about crazy bananas.

"Carly! Sam!" Jal exclaimed again, shaking both girls, "The school doors open in five minutes!"

This caught both of their attentions and they both sat up straight in their seats.

"WHAT!" Carly asked, alert.

"We fell asleep..." Sam stated the obvious picking her bag up off of the floor next to her chair.

"Yeah but did you see who it was?" Jal asked them, pointing to the screen.

"No." Carly said shaking her head, and then it clicked and she grabbed Sam's arm anxiously, "NO! We didn't see who it was!"

Sam's eyes widened.

"You two will have to just take all of the tapes and watch them later. You can confront whoever it was tomorrow during school hours." Jal told them, reaching around Sam and pulling all of the tapes out of the sockets and handing them to Carly. Carly took the tapes and shoved them in her book bag as both She and Sam gathered their things.

"I'll put the fresh tapes in." Jal told them as he pushed them toward the door, "Just get out of here before anyone sees you!"

,

,

,

,

"Okay, we'll go straight to my house after school to watch it." Carly said as she and Sam made their way toward their lockers. Students were milling around, but it was too early for a lot of people to be there.

Sam nodded, scanning the walls as they walked, "Do you see anything?"

Carly shook her head, "No and we need to hurry. People are here and we don't even know where he put it."

As they reached their lockers, they went to check the information board near there.

"Bingo!" Sam cried, snatching a piece of paper down from the board.

"Let me see!" Carly smiled.

"No!" Sam ripped the paper into pieces, "It's so stupid. I never want to see it again."

Carly rolled her eyes but smiled teasingly, "It's not like I don't already know what's on there anyway."

Sam hit her lightly on the arm and then hoisted her bag farther up on her shoulder and headed over to her locker. "Whatever Shay."

.

.

.

.

.

"Ring, bell, RING!" Sam groaned as she waited for fifth period to end. The teacher gave her a dirty look, mumbling something about 'ungrateful hoodlums'.

Sam sunk further into her seat, her eyes on the clock. There were still ten minutes until the end of the period and the teacher was continuing her speech on some kind of war. She pulled her phone out, deciding to text Carly since they weren't in the same class. As she went to send a message, though, her own phone vibrated and a box popped up, stating that she had (1) New Message from Unknown. She bit her lip, glancing around at the other bored looking students, before cautiously opening the message.

**Thought you could get rid of me that easily, huh? You can't beat me at my own game, Samantha.**

Sam's eyes widened and she looked around the room one more time, checking to see if anyone had their phones out. The majority of the class was asleep, and most of the rest were talking amongst themselves. Only a few students were actually listening and taking notes on what the teacher was saying.

She glanced back up at the clock and saw that she still had five more minutes of class. She wondered if whoever this was had posted another copy of the entry somewhere else in the school. Or if he had planted something in a class room again. Her eyes scanned the classroom walls, looking for any taped up notebook paper. After finding none, she looked underneath her desk and on the floor. Still nothing.

Before she could pretend to sharpen her pencil and search the room some more, the bell rang. As everyone hurried out of the room, Sam stuffed her things into her bag and did the same.

She stopped as soon as she stepped into the hallway though.

"Move it!" A voice said from behind her as students tried to push past her. She didn't move though, and one kid pushed her hard enough that her body did go forward far enough for everyone to mumble insults at her and hurry on to their destinations. Sam rolled her eyes and pushed her way out in to the hallway. As she made her way to her locker, she could feel eyes on her. And it seemed like every person she glanced at, was looking at her.

She stopped walking and looked around, frowning when she noticed that everyone _was _looking at her. They were smiling and a few were giggling and it all reminded her of some lame movie where the main character gets embarrassed and suddenly everyone is looking at them.

She blinked a few times and then continued walking, ignoring the whispers and looks from around her. She was almost to her locker, when she heard someone speaking to her.

"Wow Sam!" Wendy said, stopping Sam, "I never would have known!"

Sam gave her a confused look. She knew Wendy always had the gossip, but what could she know about-

_Oh. _

_My. _

_Ham._

She thought to herself as Wendy babbled on. She was about to push past her, when Wendy said something that was actually worth hearing.

"- I mean, it seems so obvious now though. Everyone knows that a girl only picks on a guy when she likes him."

_A girl only picks on a guy when she likes him._

_**A girl only picks on a guy when she likes him.**_

_**WHEN SHE LIKES HIM. **_

She looked around, ignoring Wendy once again and finally noticed all of the white fliers on the ground and on the walls around her. Sure, she had noticed them before but it wasn't unusual for club leaders to throw them around in hopes of reeling in a new member.

Now, though, she bent down and picked up one of the white papers up, turning it over and reading it.

_**What's crackin',**_

_**Okay, What I'm about to tell you is completely and absolutely, swear to my ham, confidential. I mean it this time when I say if you come to life I will kill you. **_

_**I've had a- what's it called? Oh, a revelation! Anyway, I've had a revelation! That's the good news.  
**_

_**The bad news, is that this revelation is a bad one. I don't even want to write it down, but I feel like I might explode if I don't tell someone. And you know I'm not going to tell Dr. The-rape-ist. So, for once, this stupid journal has come in handy. **_

_**Enough of that! Onto the horrible, HORRIBLE thing I have just realized. **_

_**I...**_

_**Like...**_

_**...Freddie. **_

_**Oh Ham, I can't believe I just said that. Ew. If I could, I would punch myself for being so stupid. But, you know, it's not like I'm in love with him or anything. I mean... If you look in the dictionary next to the word 'nub', his picture will be right there. I'm ashamed! How could I, Bad girl Puckett, fall for Momma's boy Benson? This sort of thing could ruin my rep. No one's going to be afraid of me if they know that I've got the hots for Nerdzilla. **_

_**HAVE I LOST MY MIND? I might as well check myself into a mental institution now.\**_

_**Grr. I need meat. This is too depressing to deal with on an empty stomach. **_

_**-SamLovesHam**_

_**PS: The answer is eggs.**_

"No..." Sam breathed, staring down at the paper. "Oh please No.."

"Don't worry!" Wendy said, putting a hand on Sam's shoulder, Sam had forgotten she was there, "I think it's cute. You two could be the next IT couple. So juicy! The Bad Girl and the Good Boy. I love it!"

Sam shook her head, crumpling the paper up and backing away from the babbling girl. She reached down and scooped up as many of the papers as she could. Holding them in her arms as she ran to the nearest wall and tore off every piece of paper. She didn't care if not all of them were about her, right now, she just wanted them gone.

Suddenly, the laughing from before was louder. Everyone's looks were shooting lasers into her body. The room was a hundred degrees hotter and her hands were moving ten times slower as she tried to tear down all of the papers. She heard her name _everywhere_. Hands were touching her, trying to get her attention but she put all of her focus on getting rid of every single white piece of paper she could see.

"ATTENTION STUDENTS, ATTENTION STUDENTS," Principal Franklin's voice boomed from the loudspeaker. "Everyone leave Sam Puckett alone. Her therapist made her begin the journal and it will not be accepted that someone has stolen and leaked the contents of the book. I repeat LEAVE SAM PUCKETT ALONE. Sam, please meet me in my office."

If the laughs were loud before, they were deafening now. She took deep breaths, feeling small and suffocated as everyone crowded around her. She could feel hot tears streaming from her eyes, as if the whole situation wasn't embarrassing enough. She gritted her teeth and tried to blink back the tears. But they didn't stop and she wanted nothing more than to just disappear.

_Kill. Me. No_w. She thought. Sam dropped all of the fliers in her hand into a nearby trashcan and pushed her way through the rowdy crowd.

"SAM! SAM!" A voice called out to her, but she ignored it. A moments later, Carly's voice rang in her ear, "Sam stop!" Carly commanded, yanking on Sam's arm. Sam shook her head, glancing back at Carly and giving her an apologetic look, the tears breaking free and streaming down her face, before yanking her arm away and making a mad dash for the front door.

She finally pushed her way to the front door and pushed a few kids out of the way to throw it open. When the cool air hit her body, she relaxed a little but didn't stop moving. She began running, she could still hear the laughing in her ear and she ran faster. Her feet thud across the pavement as she ran in the direction of her house. It was a long way, but she didn't stop running, couldn't stop. Because every time she slowed down, all she could hear was the cruel, empty laughter and Wendy's words.

"_It seems so obvious now though. Everyone knows that A girl only picks on a guy when she likes him."_


	12. Chapter 11

_New Voice mail. From CARLY SHAY_

"_Sam, it's Carly again. PLEASE answer your phone. I know you're upset, but if you come over we can watch the videos and find out who did this to you! Sam, PLEASE. ***Sigh*** call me."_

* * *

_New Voice mail from FREDDIE BENSON_

"_Hey... I know you're there. Call me."_

* * *

_New Voice mail, from CARLY SHAY_

"_Sam, you haven't been to school for three days, you haven't called me, you don't answer your door, and I've called and left you over 50 voice mails. I know you've seen my texts and I know you reject my phone calls, but I'm done sitting here and worrying about you. You WILL leave your house, Sam."_

* * *

The doorbell rings... again. She ignores it... again.

Sam rolls her eyes at the dramatics and can almost picture Carly standing on the other side of the door, hip cocked, banging on the door. It seemed like something from a movie and it made Sam giggle a bit.

It's not that she's _depressed _or anything.

She is embarrassed. Scratch that, she is humiliated. She never wants set foot in that school ever again. To see everyone laughing at her. To hear the whispers and feel the eyes. The undefeated Sam Puckett... has a school girl crush on a huge dork.

Though, she's sure the hype has died down SOME in the last three days. Something even more dramatic and juicy has surely come up by now. Maybe. People should have moved on by now... that is, until she actually shows up to school. When she shows up, people will remember why she didn't show up for the past three days, and then people would remember that she's a dork obsessed phony. Her street cred will be completely destroyed.

Then again, she is starting to get a little bored. And lonely. And sitting on the couch eating fried chicken and being comforted by her best friend, didn't sound that bad right about now.

She stands up, the ringing has turned into knocking and experience from the last couple days has showed her that Carly will stand outside and knock FOREVER.

She hurries toward the door (completely grateful that her mother is out of town for a plastic surgery touch up) and throws it open...

And then screams when she sees that, No, it is NOT Carly on the other side of the door. Her body freezes and wishes she could disappear right then and there. It seems like an eternity passes, her just standing there, gaping at him, before he speaks.

"Hey," He smiled a little bit, "We've been worried."

A look of disgust crosses her face as she assesses how calm and friendly he looks. Now that her body has loosened, the makes a move to slam the door again but before it can shut completely, it stops.

She looks down and sees his shoe blocking the door from closing.

"Ow, Sam. That hurt." He says a in a pained, but slightly amused tone.

Suddenly, she's not embarrassed anymore. She doesn't _care_ anymore. Suddenly, she's angry. Angry at _him.  
_

"This is all_ your _fault!" She exclaims, trying to slam the door in his face again, but being blocked by his stupid shoe.

His face shows confusion for half a second, but he quickly decides against attempting to argue with her. Instead, he ignores her ice cold expression and raging glare, and he pushes past her.

He. Pushes. Past. Her.

Into. Her. House.

She hesitates for one moment before whirling around to face him as he makes his way into the living room.

"Um. Just what the _HELL_, do you think you're doing?" She nearly screams. He doesn't reply and that only makes her angrier. He's standing in the middle of the room, just looking at something, not replying or saying anything. She glances in the direction of whatever it is he's looking at and she pauses, but only for a moment.

It had been in her mailbox when she got home that day after running out of the school building. It had been in a small shipping box, without a stamp or an address, meaning someone put it there. Instead, it simply said '_Samantha "Benson" Puckett'_

She had stormed into the house and thrown the box across the room, listening to the loud thud and watching it slide down the wall and to the floor.

Now, here Freddie was, no doubt staring at his last name written next to her first name. He turns around and looks at her, really _looks_ at her, and opens his mouth to speak, but she hurries and interrupts.

"I didn't write that."

He's quiet for a moment and then he opens his mouth again to speak, "Do you know who did?"

She rolls her eyes , "If I knew who it was, do you really think that would be sitting in my living room rather than shoved down that loser's throat?"

"So why aren't you trying to find out?" He asks.

"Because-" She snaps, but realizes that she doesn't _necessarily_have an answer. "Because I've been busy."

He scoffs, "Doing what? Avoiding me?"

She folds her arms in front of her chest, "I'm not avoiding-"

"No, you aren't," He agrees, "You're avoiding everybody."

She starts to object but decides against it, instead shrugging her shoulders, "I guess so. People have just annoyed me more than usual lately."

He smirks, "And why is that?"

She wants to slap that smirk right off of his face... so she does.

He holds his cheek and frowns at her. "What was that for?"

"You know exactly what that was for." She takes a step closer to him, steering him in the direction of the living room wall and she doesn't stop until she hears his head thump as he walks, backwards, into the wall. He's looking at her with frightened eyes and she wants to smile at the deja vu feeling she gets. "Now don't you forget, Benson, that I'M the cat and YOU'RE the mouse in this game. Not the other way around." He doesn't respond. She rolls her eyes and steps away from the wall, giving him some breathing space.

"Why'd you come here?" She sighs, folding her arms again and glaring at him.

"To figure out why you locked yourself in your house and won't talk to anyone." He responds, pushing off of the walk and walking toward her.

"You wanna know why?" She spats, stepping away from him again.

"Kinda!" He rolls his eyes.

"'Cause I hate you!"

"Then why'd you write about me in your diary?"

"'Cause I..." She starts, turning away and facing the door as she speaks quietly, "'Cause I like you.."

His eyebrows knit together, "So you hate me _and _you like me?" She doesn't respond. "And whoever has been blackmailing you, found out about it?" She still doesn't respond and keeps her back turned to him.

He takes a step toward her and puts a hand on her shoulder.

"Off." She huffs, and he quickly removes his hand from her shoulder.

"Well, why didn't you tell me?"

She finally turns around and gives him a look. He nods, "Right, I get it. But-" He starts, but she cuts him off. Pushing past him and grabbing her hoodie off of the couch.

"Not now, nub. I don't have time for this. Mama's got bigger fish to fry." And then she opens the front door and walks outside. He hurries to follow, shutting the door quietly behind them.

* * *

"Okay, Carles, I want to see those videos and I want to see them now." Sam demanded as soon as she pushed the door open to the Shay's apartment.

"Sam!" Carly exclaims as she jumps off of the couch and runs up to Sam, throwing her arms around her. As Carly squeezes Sam, Freddie enters the apartment and quietly shuts the door. Spencer raises an eyebrow at him as if to say 'How did it go?' Freddie rolls his eyes and shakes his head. Spencer gives him a sympathetic smile.

Sam finally pulls away from Carly and struggle to get her tough demeanor back together. "Okay, okay. Mama missed you too. But I want to see those videos, _now._"

Carly nods happily and then runs upstairs to get them as Spencer stands up and walks into the kitchen to fix them up a snack. Sam settles down on the couch and Freddie sits next to her. She scoffs and glares at him and he moves to the other side, sighing to himself.

Carly reappears in a moment and sets the videos up on the TV as Spencer also returns with a bowl of popcorn and three peppy colas. He settles into a chair and Carly plops down onto the couch between Sam and Freddie as the first video plays. She uses the remote control to fast forward through a video of the empty science wing. Sam munches on popcorn and taps her foot impatiently.

The first video ends with no event and Carly sticks the second video of the seven into the player and starts fast forwarding through it. After a few moments of fast forwarding, Freddie speaks up.

"This is the hallway near the cafeteria, why don't we just play the one with the hallway you two found the first paper?"

Carly hits herself in the head for not thinking of that first and Sam doesn't say anything, doing her best to ignore Freddie. Carly puts the third video on and settles onto the couch.

"This is the hallway!" She exclaims and everyone leans forward in their seats as Carly fast forwards. After a few minutes, Sam shouts for Carly to stop. Carly does as told and Sam gets off of the couch and gets as close to the TV as possible in order to see the small, hooded figure walking up to the bulletin board. The person takes their hood off and Sam sees immediately that it is a girl, she has reddish brown hair and Carly gasps.

"Is that...?" But Sam hushes her as the girl reaches into a black bag and pulls out an envelope. She pulls a paper out of it and then pulls out a stapler. After the girl staples the paper up to the bulletin board, she turns around to look out for any oncoming students or teachers.

Carly, Sam, Freddie, and Spencer gasp as they see the girl's face appear on the screen as she looks around.

"Oh my-" Carly says.

"Cheese" Spencer finishes.

"She's back!" Freddie gasps.

Sam is quiet for about half a second before she turns around and looks at everyone with a furious, murderous look. She manages to growl one word before she's up and across the room, throwing the door open and storming out:

"_Missy."_


	13. Chapter 12

***Hello all! My apologies for my tardiness. I don't have a plausible excuse other than there was too much going on and I just wasn't feeling it. However, in order to try to make up for it, I've decided to give you all an EXTRA long chapter! :) Enjoy!***

"I'll kill her. I'll _kill _her. I'm going to have a Missy head hanging above my fireplace!"

"Sam, you don't have a fireplace." Freddie rolled his eyes.

"Well she's gonna be hanging above **someone's **fireplace!"

"Sam, can you just calm down?" He replied.

"Yeah, don't you think you're overreacting?" Carly agreed.

"I'm definitely regretting letting you two come along. YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO COME OUT SOMETIME, MISSY!" Sam pounded on the door again. After running for six blocks straight, Carly and Freddie had finally found Sam marching toward Missy's house, her eyes seeking blood. Failing to talk her out of murdering Missy, they finally insisted that she at least let them come along to call an ambulance afterward.

"Sam, she's not going to come out of there." Freddie stated

"Yeah, she'll stay in there for days! _Please_ just come back to my house and Spencer will make spaghetti tacos and we can watch Girly Cow until 3 in the morning and we don't even have to go to school tomorrow. Just _please_ Sam, _let's go_!" Carly pleaded

Sam turned around and sighed, "She's ruined my life. And now I have to kill her." She stated bluntly and seriously.

Freddie shook his head, "Is liking me _that_ bad?!"

Sam nodded vigorously and Carly gave him an apologetic look.

"Okay, this is ridiculous. Come on, Sam. We have school tomorrow." Freddie ordered, reaching out to grab Sam's arm. Sam glared and swatted at him and he quickly pulled back. Sam frowned and turned around, banging on the door once again.

"THAT'S IT! IF YOU DON'T OPEN UP IN FIVE SECONDS, I'M COMING IN!" Sam threatened. "ONE..." Sam waited for a moment, "FOUR, FI-" The door flew open and a scared looking Missy peeked her head around.

Sam reached out to attack but Freddie and Carly both worked to grab her and hold her as she kicked wildly and growled at Missy. "These two care bears can't hold me for long! I'll kill you!" Sam shouted, jerking and kicking.

"Sam, calm down! Just let her explain." Freddie begged.

"Please!" Carly begged. Sam thrashed around for another moment before crossing her arms and hanging limp in the arms of her friends.

"Fine, but if I don't like what she has to say, I'm getting swingy." She compromised, pulling her butter sock out of her pocket.

"Sam!" Carly exclaimed, snatching the sock out of Sam's hand. Sam shrugged and instead focused her attention and glaring at the trembling red head standing in front of them.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Speak!" Sam commanded.

Missy stepped back a little bit behind the door, her eyes widening, "P-please don't kill me. It wasn't my idea!" She exclaimed.

"Well then whose was it?" Freddie asked.

"I can't te-" She started but when Sam lunged for her again and Freddie and Carly had to tighten their grip, she continued speaking, "Nevel." She sighed, "I came back to Ridgeway a couple weeks ago and I was trying to find a way to get you all back for sending me on that horrid cruise-" Sam scoffs, Missy ignores her and continues, "I was walking through the halls one day and I found Sam's journal. On my way home so I could read it and find ways to use it against her, I ran into Nevel. I didn't show him the journal at first but he seemed to hate you all as much as I do, so I showed him and he came up with the plan. He would write the letters and send the text messages and what not, and I would deliver it all. And it almost worked-"

"Yeah, yeah, if it wasn't for us meddling kids." Sam rolled her eyes, interrupting again.

Missy ignored her again, "We were going to destroy iCarly. You all deserved it, the way you treated me!"

Sam glared, "_I'm_ about to treat you to butt kicking."

"Carly was _my _best friend first!"

"Oh, get over it!"

"Things would have been just fine without you! We could have talked you into leaving town and things could go back to the way they're supposed to be!"

"Don't you get it?" Carly stepped in front of Sam before she could throttle Missy and interrupted. "Things will never be the same because Sam is my best friend and you... you're just mean! Now look, so what if Sam likes Freddie? _I _think that that's great. Sam deserves a guy as good as Freddie. And even if the people in school make fun of her for it, I would still rather be her best friend than _yours_."

Missy stepped back, shocked.

"Buuuuuuuuurn!" Sam and Freddie laughed in unison, until Carly turns around and gives them a sharp look.

"Will you two stop!?" Carly barks. They both immediately stop laughing and look at each other awkwardly before taking another step apart.

Missy inserts herself back into the conversation, "That's fine! I don't need you, Carly Shay. And I hope your _best friend _enjoys being the new school joke!" She teases.

Sam loses control and lunges for Missy again. Freddie grabs her waist and pulls her back and Carly steps between Sam and Missy.

"You know what, Missy? So what if the kids at school think Sam is a joke? **I** don't, and the other people who love and care about her don't. I think it's great that she likes Freddie and, if they end up together, that would be great! I would support them completely and so would a lot of other people. And even if they don't end up together, that's fine too. But no matter what happens between Sam and Freddie, it can be fixed and they can go on. But you, Missy, will always be a mean, insecure little girl. And that's why you're going to be alone. Sam acts all tough, but deep down she really cares about people, even Freddie. But you only care about yourself. That's why I didn't choose you over Sam, and that's why I'm not the only one who will."Carly said, and Sam and Freddie gaped at her in surprise.

Before Missy had a chance to reply, Carly turned around and promptly walked away. Freddie continued holding onto Sam and followed suit. Sam turned around to glare at Missy, but no longer tried to lunge at her. She was still in shock at Carly's words and, by the look on her face, Missy was too.

Sure, Sam had wanted to handle the situation in a _completely_ different way, but today Sam saw that, although she still wouldn't get physical with her fights, Carly had truly grown and strengthened as a person. Sam felt confident that Carly would always have her back, and she would always defend her. She even felt a little guilty for not confiding in Carly the secret that started all of this. However, Sam also knew that Carly loved her and would always forgive her. All she had to do next was forgive herself. And, as she and Freddie shared a look, she also realized she had a big decision to make: Was falling in love worth the risk? Was it worth giving up a friendship? Ruining her reputation? And, most importantly, was it worth possibly getting her heart broken?

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen! I present to you: Miss Carly Shay, our new resident bad-ass!" Sam announces as she, Carly, Freddie, and Gibby stroll into the Groovy Smoothie.

"Sam!" Carly starts to chastise her, but laughs and swats at her arm, "Watch your mouth you potty mouth!"

"I'm telling you, Gib, it was crazy!" Freddie exclaims as they take their seats.

"Seriously!" Sam agreed, "I almost thought Carly was going to slap her!"

"There was almost a chick fight?" Gibby exclaimed, he turned to Freddie, "Dude, why didn't you call me!?"

Freddie laughed, "I was too busy trying to contain these two!" Freddie told him.

"Well anyway, that is great Carly. You stood up against Missy and you are THE BOMB. In fact..." Gibby said, and then he stood up and lifted his hand up to get T-bo's attention. "BRING ON THE SMOOTHIES, T-BO, WE'VE GOT A CELEBRITY IN THE HOUSE!"

"IS IT MARIAH CAREY?" T-Bo shouted back and appeared from the back room, holding sticks with pickles stuck on them. He grabbed a platter of smoothies and rushed over to their table.

"Hey!" He said in a disappointed tone when he got there, "Where's Mariah?"

"The celebrity isn't Mariah Carey, it's Carly! She made a mean girl at school cry!" Gibby told him. He threw his shirt off and walked over to Carly's side of the table, sticking his belly in her face. "Carly, will you sign my stomach?"

Carly wrinkled her nose and pulled back, shaking her head, "Um..." She started.

"Wait!" T-Bo interrupted. He looked around at Gibby, Freddie, and Sam, "What you're telling me, is that sweet little Carly Shay, went up against one of the meanest girls in school?"

"Yes! It was EPIC!" Freddie confirmed.

T-Bo nearly jumped in the air, "Well this calls for cupcakes on a stick! On the house!" He cried and pulled out a handful of sticks lined with cupcakes from behind the counter.

Freddie and Carly gave him questioning looks but Sam and Gibby both reached for one.

"To Carly!" Gibby exclaimed and raised his cupcake in the air. Carly and Freddie finally shrugged, giving in and reaching for their own cupcakes on a stick. Everyone raised the cupcakes in the air and toasted, "To Carly!"

* * *

After the Groovy Smoothie celebration, Gibby went home and Sam decided to spend the night at Carly's. She, Carly, and Freddie began the walk back to Bushwell Plaza, still joking and talking about the events of the day.

"Carls, I'm so glad I'm finally rubbing off on you!" Sam said, giving Carly a one armed hug as they walked.

Freddie rolled his eyes, "I'm not so sure that's a good thing." Sam started to give a reply but Carly interrupted.

"Hey, no fighting. Yes, I am well aware that I am awesome. But we have more serious things to handle now that we've handled that situation."

"Like what?" Sam asks, knowing the answer but hoping to stall until they make it to Bushwell so that she can run off and hide. They were almost there...

"You know what, Sam. You two need to talk about it."

Sam huffed, "There's nothing to talk about. Freddie's a nub and no girl in their right mind would want to date him."

"That's not what you said in your diary." Freddie shot back, angry at Sam's behavior for someone who 'likes' him.

While he expected her to make a rude remark back at him, Sam surprised them all. She stopped walking and looked at Freddie with a hurt and betrayed expression. Carly and Freddie watched in shock as Sam took off ahead of them, sprinting toward Bushwell and disappearing inside. Carly shouted after, but she didn't turn around.

Carly turned toward Freddie, upset, "Freddie, you crossed the line. That was too much. You know how Sam is. You have to go fix this."

Freddie replied, exasperated, "Me? She started this whole thing! If she could just be honest about her feelings for ONCE..." He starts ranting but Carly cuts him off.

"But she'll never admit to it and you know that. Her pride is too big for that. Look, Sam _was_ honest about her feelings, in the diary, and you threw it back in her face. Now _you_ have to go find her and work all of this out. You two need to talk about this and figure out what you're going to do."

Freddie sighs and hangs his head, Carly gives him a sympathetic look and puts her hand on his shoulder, "Look, I just want you both to be happy. And if being together is what makes you happy, then tell each other that!" Freddie begins to nod and Carly gives him a shove, "Now go! Go, Freddie! Find her!"

Freddie takes off and Carly begins walking again, smiling to herself. She sighs and thinks to herself, _I love them, but they can be so stubborn sometimes._

* * *

He starts to head to the Shay apartment to look for her, but he stops himself, knowing that there's only one place she would want to be right now. He had been jogging but he picks the speed up and next thing he knows, he's running, skipping the elevator and taking the stairs, he _has_ to get to her. He just has to get there. A part of him wonders if maybe she's expecting him, if she's waiting. It surprises even himself that he kind of hopes she is.

In barely a minute, he's there. He slows to a walk to catch his breath and stands outside of the door to the fire escape. Where it all started. Where this whole game of cat and mouse began. Where he had his first kiss with a girl that he kinda-sorta-maybe hated. But not so much now. He can see her on the other side of the door, sitting in one of the chairs he dragged out there all those years ago. Her blonde hair is loose and flowing in the wind. She's hugging her knees to her chest and looking at the darkening sky.

Once again he's struck by the thought of how beautiful she is. How badly he wants to go out there and touch her, wrap his arms around her. How he wants to pull the stars right out of the sky and give them to her if it will make her smile again.

This thought, this urge, confuses him. Ever since this whole diary began and she started acting all funny, he's been feeling really weird. This odd feeling has been growing in his chest for the last week. A feeling that perplexes him, a feeling that fascinates him, a feeling that he only gets when he's around her. A cliché , this feeling, but something that he never wants to go away. And it is only magnified by the knowledge that she might have a crush on him.

At that moment, the feeling is a pull. A magnet that always pulls him to her, that makes them attract and gravitate toward each other. With a shock, he realizes that that pull has always been there. They've always had this connection. She's always tormented him, but he's always been drawn back to her like a moth to light. He suddenly understand Sam's earlier words. He realizes, that it is indeed possible to love and hate someone at the same time. The feeling proves that. The feeling is, after all, what drove him here to find her. And it is also what gives him the courage to open the fire escape door and step out into the chilly night.

She turns and looks at him when he enters and he can almost see tears on her face. _Is she crying? Sam Puckett is crying?_ He wonders to himself. And she is. Her face is swollen and red and streaked with tears. When she sees him, she scowls.

"Go away, Freddie." She says quietly. And he doesn't know what shocks her more, her sad and defeated tone, or the fact that she just called him Freddie. She looks, and sounds, completely defeated. He's never seen this version of her before. He's never seen her so... broken. He's always known her as being so strong, so steady, so unwavering. And here she is caving into herself in a way that half way makes him want to cry, and halfway makes him want to hold her and tell her how beautiful she is and kiss away every tear slipping out of those beautiful blue eyes.

"I..." He starts, awkwardly. Already frustrated with himself for sounding so nerdy and awkward when she obviously needs him, "I'm sorry about what I said, Sam. I didn't mean it-" He starts but Sam interrupts.

"Save it." She tells him, making her face as nonchalant and uncaring as possible, "I don't care."

He takes a risk and steps forward. When she doesn't try to kill him, he goes ahead and walks over to the other lawn chair next to her. He sits and turns toward her. She refuses to look at him.

"Sam... I'm in love with you." Freddie states. Sam's eyes widen and he snaps her head around to look at him. Her facial expression changes from surprise to anger in a flat second.

"Whatever, nub, I don't need to be anyone's rebound, anyone's second choice. I won't be your pity date." She spats, turning away again.

"Don't you see it!" He exclaims, throwing his arms up in exasperation, "You're not my rebound. I didn't say that out of pity. Sam, you will always be my first choice, always my number one."

Sam rolls her eyes, "Leave it to you to make a bad situation worse with another one of your cliché chick flick lines.

"I'm serious! I may have just realized it, but now that I have, it's so clear! Sam, you are the most stubborn, selfish, and rude person I know-"

"Geez, way to lay on the charm, stud."

"Just let me finish. You're impossible. A nightmare. You call me names and steal my things, you get me in trouble and get me detention constantly," He shakes his head, "But then... then you turn around and get yourself detention too so that I don't have to be alone, and you always notice when I get a haircut- even if you are insulting it. And you do things like write about my in your diary and complain about spending time with me, but still finding ways to do so anyway. You're impossible, a mystery. But you're a mystery I would spend the rest of my life trying to solve. You're a monster, but a beautiful, crazy monster. You're cool and funny, and sometimes I really do think that you're smarter than me, and you do what you want and don't care what anyone says. The time I spend with you, is some of the scariest, yet exhilarating and best moments of my life. You're not perfect, in fact you're as far from it as a human being can get, but you don't want to be. You give yourself to people, fully, just the way you are and I love that about you. I love everything about you... I love _you_." Freddie exclaims, shaking his head and finishing his speech.

"Are you sure you aren't just saying that because of my diary? And what about Carly? How do I know you're over her? How do I... " She clears her throat and looks down, almost whispering, "How do I know you won't leave when you find someone better?"

"Sam, I've known you since elementary school, since before I ever knew Carly. I've stuck with you this long, and I have no plans of leaving now. And Carly, I got over her a long time ago."

"When?" Sam asks.

"When I realized she wasn't you," He replies, smirking.

Sam rolls her eyes and punches him in the shoulder. Finally back in character. "You're such a cheesy nub. You're a walking cliché."

"As long as I'm a walking cliché holding the hand of a certain blonde haired demon."

She laughs and shakes her head, and then grows serious, "Now look, just because you came out here and sweet talked Mama, doesn't mean you can just-" She started her lecture, but was interrupted by Freddie grabbing her face and pressing his lips to hers.

Sam quickly responds, letting go of whatever she was going to say and instead leans into the kiss. As things, begin to heat up, his tongue begs for entrance to her mouth and she eagerly grants permission. They turn their chairs and their bodies until Sam is practically sitting in his lap, straddling him. They make out for a while before having to pull away for oxygen. As they catch their breath, Freddie feels Sam slap his face, hard, and he tenderly hold his cheek, glaring at Sam.

"What was that for?" He whines.

"For interrupting Mama while she was speaking." Sam smirks. Before he can get too angry, she wraps her arms back around his neck and his hands instantly find their way to her hips. "Now, give Mama some sugar!" She demands. He happily complies and pulls her to him, smiling as their lips make contact.


End file.
